Hardware abstraction

A hardware abstraction layer (English Hardware Abstraction Layer HAL) is a layer of an operating system, the kernel and all the rest of the software from the hardware isolated.

Only the hardware abstraction layer to access hardware, all other software it can only be mediated by the hardware abstraction layer. This abstraction facilitates adapting the operating system to different processor architectures, because only a part of the hardware abstraction layer should be changed. It makes it easier also to program device drivers because they put on the hardware abstraction layer.

In Windows operating systems, the HAL is located under C: hal.dll \ windows \ system32 \.

The NetBSD operating system, which is available on over 50 different platforms, most clearly shows the potential of the concept.

The firmware of a computer may take on tasks of hardware abstraction. For x86 computers are commonly called the firmware BIOS. More modern operating systems use, however after booting your own hardware drivers one, so bring your own hardware abstraction layer.