# Hurd

> general-purpose kernel suitable for the GNU operating system

**Wikidata**: [Q48464](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48464)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Hurd)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hurd

## Summary
Hurd is a general-purpose kernel suitable for the GNU operating system, developed as part of the GNU Project. It is a microkernel-based system that provides the core functionality needed to run the GNU operating system.

## Key Facts
- Developed by the GNU Project, founded on September 27, 1983
- Created by Thomas Bushnell, born December 13, 1967
- Latest stable version is 0.9, released December 18, 2016
- Licensed under GNU General Public License version 2.0 or later
- Uses assembly language and C programming languages
- Platform: IA-32 (Intel 32-bit architecture)
- Has official IRC channels on freenode.net (English and French)
- Source code available at http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/hurd/

## FAQs
### Q: What is Hurd's relationship to the GNU operating system?
A: Hurd is the official kernel for the GNU operating system, designed to work with GNU utilities and applications to create a complete free software operating system.

### Q: Is Hurd still being developed?
A: Yes, Hurd continues to be developed with stable versions released periodically, though it has not achieved widespread adoption compared to Linux-based GNU systems.

### Q: What makes Hurd different from Linux?
A: Hurd is a microkernel-based system where core services run in separate address spaces, while Linux is a monolithic kernel where core services run in kernel space.

## Why It Matters
Hurd represents a significant effort in the free software movement to create a completely free operating system kernel. As part of the GNU Project's goal to provide a free Unix-like alternative, Hurd embodies the principles of software freedom and user control. While Linux has become the dominant kernel for GNU systems, Hurd remains important as an alternative implementation that demonstrates different architectural approaches to operating system design. Its development has contributed to microkernel research and provided a fallback option for the GNU Project's vision of a fully free software stack.

## Notable For
- Being the official kernel of the GNU operating system
- Implementing a microkernel architecture as an alternative to monolithic kernels
- Supporting the GNU Project's goal of complete software freedom
- Providing a platform for Debian GNU/Hurd variant
- Continuing development despite Linux's dominance in the free software ecosystem

## Body
### Development History
Hurd was initiated as part of the GNU Project's efforts to create a complete free software operating system. The project began in the mid-1980s as a replacement for Unix kernels, with development led by Thomas Bushnell and other contributors from the GNU Project.

### Technical Architecture
Hurd implements a microkernel architecture where core operating system services run as separate user-space processes. This design contrasts with monolithic kernels like Linux, where services run in kernel space. The system uses GNU Mach as its underlying microkernel.

### Versions and Releases
Hurd has progressed through several stable versions:
- Version 0.6 released April 10, 2015
- Version 0.7 released October 31, 2015
- Version 0.8 released May 18, 2016
- Version 0.9 released December 18, 2016

### Software Ecosystem
Hurd is designed to work with GNU utilities and applications, forming part of the broader GNU system. It supports Debian GNU/Hurd, a variant of the Debian distribution that uses Hurd instead of Linux as the kernel.

### Community and Support
The Hurd project maintains active development through the GNU Project's infrastructure. It provides official IRC channels for user support and development discussions, and source code is available through the Savannah.gnu.org repository.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "Hurd",
  "description": "General-purpose kernel suitable for the GNU operating system",
  "url": "https://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190981",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Hurd"
  ],
  "applicationCategory": "OperatingSystem",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "GNU Project"
  },
  "license": "GNU General Public License v2.0 or later",
  "programmingLanguage": [
    "C",
    "Assembly"
  ]
}

## References

1. [Source](https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/hurd/hurd.git/tree/COPYING?h=v0.9.git20201127)
2. [Source](https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/hurd/hurd.git/tree/version.h.in)
3. [Source](http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/hurd/hurd.git/tree/NEWS?id=v0.6)
4. [Source](http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/hurd/hurd.git/tree/NEWS?id=v0.7)
5. [Source](https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/hurd)
6. [GNU Hurd 0.8, GNU Mach 1.7, GNU MIG 1.7 released.](https://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/news/2016-05-18-releases.html)
7. [GNU Hurd 0.9, GNU Mach 1.8, GNU MIG 1.8 released.](https://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/news/2016-12-18-releases.html)
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. [Source](https://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/irc.html)
10. BabelNet