Application binary interfaces (ABIs) are “similar to APIs in that they govern the interpretation of commands and exchange of binary data,” writes Alison Chaiken.
And, in the Linux kernel, for example, ABI stability is crucial. According to Linus Torvalds, "we don't break user space” is the #1 rule in the Linux kernel. This rule, notes Chaiken, serves to remind kernel developers “about the stability of the applications' binary interface via which applications communicate with and configure the kernel.”
“If Linux did not have a stable ABI, then every time the kernel needed patching to address a security problem, a large part of the operating system, if not the entirety, would need to be reinstalled,” Chaiken explains.
In this article, Chaiken provides an in-depth explanation of the Linux ABI, using “the ongoing, slow-motion Y2038 ABI break” as an example.
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