Object-oriented operating system
An object-oriented operating system uses object-oriented programming ideas to design and run the system. It’s different from simply having an object-oriented interface or framework on a non‑OO OS, like Unix.
Even traditional systems use object-like concepts. In Unix, a file, a data stream, or a device driver can be treated as an object with certain actions (methods) accessed through system calls, hiding the details of how they work.
An object is an instance of a class that provides a set of functions. In an OS, objects are tied to resources, and two objects differ by the methods they support. In OO design, inheritance is a common idea, but delegation is another approach.
Object-oriented ideas have often been used more in user interfaces than in kernels, but many OS components now use OO design, including protection mechanisms. These mechanisms help keep resources separate and prevent one user’s program from interfering with another’s. In this model, each resource acts as an object that can perform only certain operations, and what you can do depends on your privileges.
Today, many parts of modern operating systems apply object-oriented design, including how they enforce protection and manage resources.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:56 (CET).