What is Darwin?

Darwin is the operating system for apple`s Macintosh that combines such programs as FreeBSD and the Mach kernel. It is Mac OS X without the user interface. It is available to all users as open source code. Darwin takes advantage of the open source projects. This operating system combines the simple usability of Mac OS with the stability and efficiency of UNIX. OS X contains its own proprietary user interfaces, which are not offered as open source. Hexley the platypus is the amulet of Darwin. Mach-0 is a standard format for executable applications in Darwin.

Darwin is freely available for reuse and modification. The open source community and the developers of Apple work persistently and for the powerful PC. The Darwin core of OS X pre-emptive multitasking that makes any user 100% sure that any app running won`t overlay the memory that is assigned to another app. It supports both UNIX file and Macintosh systems. Darwin runs on Intel processor. Apple expects that this operating system will become similar to Linux. Darwin will bring you many opportunities such as powerful developer tools, good inroad into education, and stable long-term customer base.

What is the architecture of Darwin?

Darwin is an open source Unix-like computer operating system. It is very important to understand that although Darwin can function as an independent system, it includes some features that are available in OS X. Its Kernel consists of such components as I/0 Kit, network ability, Mach Mikrokernel with the BSD subsystem, and file system. I/0 Kit provides the resources for the development of driver software. The BSD Kernel takes care of system security policies and system processes. The Mach Micro kernel cares about the resource management. The file system supports file names.

What is the project OpenDarwin?

The developers of OpenDarwin wanted to provide a development environment for developing a standalone Darwin OS derivative and building Mac OS X. However, OpenDarwin didn`t manage to achieve its goals. That`s why it will be shutting down.

What is the project PureDarwin?

PureDarwin was launched in 2007 to make Darwin more usable by providing add-on software, documentation, and an installation IOS. It can run on the real Intel-based hardware as well as VMware. What is more, every enthusiast can learn, distribute, and modify Darwin and access the documentation.