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.ko module
A driver file the Linux kernel can load and unload while running, without rebooting.
A .ko (kernel object) is compiled code that plugs into a running kernel to add a capability such as a device driver. Before it runs, the kernel checks the module against a manifest and performs relocation — patching its addresses so its code lands correctly in kernel memory. This lets an operating system stay minimal and pull in only the drivers a given machine needs.
See also
- /procA fake filesystem that lets you read live kernel state as if it were ordinary files.
- bare metalSoftware running directly on the hardware with no operating system underneath.
- BIOSThe low-level firmware that starts a machine and hands control to the operating system.