What is the role of system calls in an operating system?

System calls provide an interface between a process and the operating system, allowing the process to request services.

In more detail, system calls are a crucial component of an operating system's functionality. They act as a bridge between the user applications and the low-level system operations. When a user application needs to make use of a resource or service provided by the operating system, it does so through a system call. This could be anything from reading or writing to a file, sending or receiving network data, or accessing hardware devices.

System calls are essential for the protection and efficiency of the system. They allow the operating system to maintain control over how and when resources are accessed, ensuring that processes do not interfere with each other or compromise the stability of the system. For example, a process cannot directly access the hard drive to read or write data. Instead, it must make a system call requesting the operating system to perform this task. This allows the operating system to manage access to the hard drive, ensuring data integrity and preventing conflicts.

Furthermore, system calls provide a consistent interface for developers. Instead of having to write code to interact with hardware directly, developers can use system calls to request these services from the operating system. This simplifies the development process and makes it easier to write applications that are portable across different hardware configurations.

In summary, system calls play a vital role in operating systems. They provide a controlled and consistent interface for processes to request services, allowing the operating system to manage resources effectively and maintain system stability.