In computer science there are a large number of concepts, and it is normal that more than once we can end up confusing them, making everything much more complicated than it really is, which has happened to practically every one of them. between us. But there are some that are very important to know when devoting yourself to them, and among all those that exist, some of those that raise the most doubts are both the Core like him firmware, so we will explain to you what it is difference and the most important aspects that can be found in each of them.
Many people who are new to IT tend to have quite a bit of trouble when it comes to differentiating certain concepts, because at first you might think that in general terms they are doing the same thing but they are two very different things . And since it is quite complicated that in this world there are two things that are exactly the same, do the same thing and have different names, we must learn to differentiate one from the other so as not to have problems when we need to explain what each of them really is.
Both are part of the software, but they are very different
One of the most general aspects that we find so much in the core as in the firmware That’s because both are software, and that’s where a lot of people can get confused when it comes to calling one or the other, but the differences are pretty big when you see them. To begin, let’s be clear: if the kernel is in the operating system, the firmware can be in a piece of hardware such as a motherboard or graphics card.
But in addition to the location of each one, the point that makes the most difference between one and the other is the function they have, since they are really different and this is because the core allows the communication between software and hardware. a device, that is, it is responsible for managing system resources and facilitating interaction between programs and components.
On the other hand, firmware is created specifically for a particular type of hardware and is responsible for providing a series of instructions as well as data essential to the operation of the hardware itself, which means that its updates are no longer too frequent. generally extremely comprehensive to ensure the proper functioning of the device.
They have a series of key differences that will make it much easier for us to identify each of them:
- Function: While the kernel manages system resources but also acts as an intermediary between software and hardware, while firmware is software that can be found embedded in the hardware of a device itself.
- Location: We can find the firmware embedded in the hardware of a device, and it is loaded when the device boots while the kernel is loaded into memory when the operating system starts.
- Updates: Firmware can be updated, but it is usually not changed frequently, while the kernel is usually updated through operating system updates.