4/13/24, 11:43 AM Introduction to UNIX System - GeeksforGeeks

Introduction to UNIX System

Last Updated : 12 Mar, 2024
Unix is an Operating System that is truly the base of all Operating Systems
like Ubuntu, Solaris, POSIX, etc. It was developed in the 1970s by Ken
Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and others in the AT&T Laboratories. It was
originally meant for programmers developing software rather than non-
programmers.

Unix and the C were found by AT&T and distributed to government and
academic institutions, which led to both being ported to a wider variety of
machine families than any other operating system. The main focus that was
brought by the developers in this operating system was the Kernel. Unix
was considered to be the heart of the operating System. The system
Structure of Unix OS are as follows:

UNIX is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems

developed in the mid 1960s at Bell Labs. It was originally developed for mini
computers and has since been ported to various hardware platforms. UNIX
has a reputation for stability, security, and scalability, making it a popular
choice for enterprise-level computing.

The basic design philosophy of UNIX is to provide simple, powerful tools

that can be combined to perform complex tasks. It features a command-line
interface that allows users to interact with the system through a series of
commands, rather than through a graphical user interface (GUI).

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Some of the key features of UNIX include:

1. Multiuser support: UNIX allows multiple users to simultaneously access
the same system and share resources.
2. Multitasking: UNIX is capable of running multiple processes at the same
time.
3. Shell scripting: UNIX provides a powerful scripting language that allows
users to automate tasks.
4. Security: UNIX has a robust security model that includes file permissions,
user accounts, and network security features.
5. Portability: UNIX can run on a wide variety of hardware platforms, from
small embedded systems to large mainframe computers.
6. Communication: UNIX supports communication methods using the write
command, mail command, etc.
7. Process Tracking: UNIX maintains a record of the jobs that the user
creates. This function improves system performance by monitoring CPU
usage. It also allows you to keep track of how much disk space each user
uses, and the use that information to regulate disk space.

Today, UNIX is widely used in enterprise-level computing, scientific research,

and web servers. Many modern operating systems, including Linux and
macOS, are based on UNIX or its variants.

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Figure – system structure

Layer-1: Hardware: It consists of all hardware related information.

Layer-2: Kernel: This is the core of the Operating System. It is a software
that acts as the interface between the hardware and the software. Most
of the tasks like memory management, file management, network
management, process management, etc., are done by the kernel.
Layer-3: Shell commands: This is the interface between the user and the
kernel. Shell is the utility that processes your requests. When you type in
a command at the terminal, the shell interprets the command and calls
the program that you want. There are various commands like cp, mv, cat,
grep, id, wc, nroff, a.out and more.
Layer-4: Application Layer: It is the outermost layer that executes the
given external applications.

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Figure – kernel and its block diagram
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This diagram shows threePolicy levels: user, kernel, and hardware.
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4/13/24, 11:43 AM Introduction to UNIX System - GeeksforGeeks

The system call and library interface represent the border between user
programs and the kernel. System calls look like ordinary function calls in
C programs. Assembly language programs may invoke system calls
directly without a system call library. The libraries are linked with the
Aptitude Engineering Mathematics Discrete Mathematics Operating System DBMS Computer Networks
programs at compile time.
The set of system calls into those that interact with the file subsystem
and some system calls interact with the process control subsystem. The
file subsystem manages files, allocating file space, administering free
space, controlling access to files, and retrieving data for users.
Processes interact with the file subsystem via a specific set of system
calls, such as open (to open a file for reading or writing), close, read,
write, stat (query the attributes of a file), chown (change the record of
who owns the file), and chmod (change the access permissions of a file).
The file subsystem accesses file data using a buffering mechanism that
regulates data flow between the kernel and secondary storage devices.
The buffering mechanism interacts with block I/O device drivers to initiate
data transfer to and from the kernel.
Device drivers are the kernel modules that control the operator of
peripheral devices. The file subsystem also interacts directly with “raw”
I/O device drivers without the intervention of the buffering mechanism.
Finally, the hardware control is responsible for handling interrupts and for
communicating with the machine. Devices such as disks or terminals may
interrupt the CPU while a process is executing. If so, the kernel may
resume execution of the interrupted process after servicing the interrupt.
Interrupts are not serviced by special processes but by special functions
in the kernel, called in the context of the currently running process.

Difference between Unix and Linux

Linux is essentially a clone of Unix. But, basic differences are shown below:

Linux Unix

The source code of Linux is freely The source code of Unix is not freely
available to its users available general public
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Linux Unix

It has graphical user interface along

It only has command line interface
with command line interface

Linux OS is portable, flexible, and can

Unix OS is not portable
be executed in different hard drives

Different versions of Linux OS are

Different version of Unix are AIS, HP-
Ubuntu, Linux Mint, RedHat
UX, BSD, Iris, etc.
Enterprise Linux, Solaris, etc.

The file systems supported by Linux

The file systems supported by Unix
are as follows: xfs, ramfs, vfat,
are as follows: zfs, js, hfx, gps, xfs,
cramfsm, ext3, ext4, ext2, ext1, ufs,
vxfs
autofs, devpts, ntfs

Linux is an open-source operating Unix is a proprietary operating system

system that was first released in that was originally developed by
1991 by Linus Torvalds. AT&T Bell Labs in the mid 1960s.

The Unix kernel is modular, meaning

The Linux kernel is monolithic,
that it is made up of a collection of
meaning that all of its services are
independent modules that can be
provided by a single kernel.
loaded and unloaded dynamically.

Unix was originally designed to run on

large, expensive mainframe
Linux has much broader hardware
computers, while Linux was designed
support than Unix.
to run on commodity hardware like
PCs and servers.

User Interface of Linux is Graphical or

User Interface of unix is text-based.
text-based.

Command Line Interface of Linux is Command Line Interface of unix is

Bash, Zsh, Tcsh. Bourne, Korn, C, Zsh.

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1. Stability: UNIX is known for its stability and reliability. It can run for long
periods of time without requiring a reboot, which makes it ideal for critical
systems that need to run continuously.
2. Security: UNIX has a robust security model that includes file permissions,
user accounts, and network security features. This makes it a popular
choice for systems that require high levels of security.
3. Scalability: UNIX can be scaled up to handle large workloads and can be
used on a variety of hardware platforms.
4. Flexibility: UNIX is highly customizable and can be configured to suit a
wide range of needs. It can be used for everything from simple desktop
systems to complex server environments.
5. Command-line interface: UNIX’s command-line interface allows for
powerful and efficient interaction with the system.

Disadvantages of UNIX:

1. Complexity: UNIX can be complex and difficult to learn for users who are
used to graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
2. Cost: Some UNIX systems can be expensive, especially when compared
to open-source alternatives like Linux.
3. Lack of standardization: There are many different versions of UNIX, which
can make it difficult to ensure compatibility between different systems.
4. Limited software availability: Some specialized software may not be
available for UNIX systems.
5. Steep learning curve: UNIX requires a certain level of technical
knowledge and expertise, which can make it challenging for novice users.

Conclusion
In this article we discussed Unix which is developed in the 1970s, the
foundational operating system behind Linux and macOS. Emphasizing
simplicity and a command-line interface, Unix’s multitasking, multiuser
structure boasts stability, security, and scalability. It uses a kernel, shell
commands, and an application layer. Despite its complexity, Unix remains a
powerful choice for enterprise computing.

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