# Base System - World - Userland



## Niatross (Sep 24, 2012)

*Terminology*

I'm under the assumption that "make buildworld" is everything but the kernel.

What was the reasoning behind the term "world"? Why didn't they name it "make builduserland"?

Is there a reason why it was named "world".

Trying to understand the terminology...

PS: This is a serious question.


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## Niatross (Sep 24, 2012)

Base System - World - Userland

These terms all seem the same to me. All synonyms (AKA: words with identical or similar meanings). Is this true?

These terms seem to be talking about anything outside the kernel. Is this right?

Trying to get my FreeBSD terminology down.


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## wblock@ (Sep 24, 2012)

The kernel is part of the base system.  The base system is everything included with FreeBSD as an operating system.  "Userland" refers to where code runs, as the opposite of being part of the kernel.


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## Niatross (Sep 24, 2012)

wblock@ said:
			
		

> The kernel is part of the base system.  The base system is everything included with FreeBSD as an operating system.  "Userland" refers to where code runs, as the opposite of being part of the kernel.



When you buildworld, your building the Base system, correct? If the kernel is part of the Base system, then why do people buildkernel?


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## Niatross (Sep 24, 2012)

Is buildworld everything but the kernel? I thought buildworld created the base system.


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## wblock@ (Sep 24, 2012)

Niatross said:
			
		

> Is buildworld everything but the kernel?



Yes.


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## dave (Sep 24, 2012)

I am not an expert on this, but my understanding is that world refers to things outside of userland, i.e. the system, and not the users or their installed software.


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## fender0107401 (Sep 24, 2012)

```
make buildworld (here, you build userland)
make buildkernel (here, you build kernel)
```

In most cases, "base system" means "kernel" + "userland". In other words, "base system" = "kernel" + "userland".


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## Niatross (Sep 24, 2012)

Ports are considered a separate entity and not considered part of the userland, correct?


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## SirDice (Sep 24, 2012)

Niatross said:
			
		

> Ports are considered a separate entity and not considered part of the userland, correct?



They are not part of the base. Userland only refers to how stuff runs, in kernelmode or userland. So ports can be userland (most ports are in fact).


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## Niatross (Sep 24, 2012)

SirDice said:
			
		

> That's a conflicting statement .


No, it's not. The term "userland" has nothing to do with FreeBSD. It's an indication of the context the code is run in. The opposite of userland is kernelmode.

The base OS consists of the FreeBSD kernel plus additional FreeBSD userland tools.

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/01/understanding-user-and-kernel-mode.html


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