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From: "Hendrik Visage" <hvjunk@gmail.com>
To: Glynn Clements <glynn@gclements.plus.com>
Cc: Shriramana Sharma <samjnaa@gmail.com>,
	Linux C Programming List <linux-c-programming@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: kernel provided system call is an API?
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:17:38 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <d93f04c70710291317g750285adl8ec50f55e589e690@mail.gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <18210.38260.62084.809463@cerise.gclements.plus.com>

On 10/27/07, Glynn Clements <glynn@gclements.plus.com> wrote:
>
> Shriramana Sharma wrote:
>
> > >> 1. Can the system calls provided by the kernel be considered an API?
> > >
> > > System calls aren't strictly an *application* programming interface.
> > > Applications are supposed to use the libc functions.
> >
> > OK so is it at least a "programming interface"?
>
> Yes, although it's intended to be used solely by libc.

I think the "more correct"(TM) explanation would be that:

 Each hardware architecture, and OS, will have different methods of
invoking the actual system call. So from memory Linux and FreeBSD uses
different methods to initiate a syscall. Althought
the man read(2) "api" from the libc "user"'s perspective are all the
same (specified by POSIX etc.) the nitty gritty of getting into the
kernel differs.


-- 
Hendrik Visage

  reply	other threads:[~2007-10-29 20:17 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 7+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2007-10-26 16:25 kernel provided system call is an API? Shriramana Sharma
2007-10-26 21:05 ` Glynn Clements
2007-10-27  0:42   ` Shriramana Sharma
2007-10-27  1:33     ` Glynn Clements
2007-10-29 20:17       ` Hendrik Visage [this message]
2007-10-29 20:36         ` Steve Graegert
2007-10-29 22:11         ` Glynn Clements

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