Introduction of System Call

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In computing, a system call is a programmatic way in which a computer

program requests a service from the kernel of the operating system it is
executed on. A system call is a way for programs to interact with the
operating system. A computer program makes a system call when it makes
a request to the operating system’s kernel. System call provides the services
of the operating system to the user programs via Application Program
90%Interface(API).
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system to allow user-level processes to request services of the operating
system. System calls are the only entry points into the kernel system. All
programs needing resources must use system calls.

A user program can interact with the operating system using a system call.
A number of services are requested by the program, and the OS responds by
launching a number of systems calls to fulfill the request. A system call can
be written in high-level languages like C or Pascal or in assembly language.
If a high-level language is used, the operating system may directly invoke
system calls, which are predefined functions.

A system call is a mechanism used by programs to request services from the

operating system (OS). In simpler terms, it is a way for a program to interact
with the underlying system, such as accessing hardware resources or
performing privileged operations.

A system call is initiated by the program executing a specific instruction,

which triggers a switch to kernel mode, allowing the program to request a
service from the OS. The OS then handles the request, performs the
necessary operations, and returns the result back to the program.

System calls are essential for the proper functioning of an operating system,
as they provide a standardized way for programs to access system
resources. Without system calls, each program would need to implement its
own methods for accessing hardware and system services, leading to
inconsistent and error-prone behavior.

Services Provided by System Calls

Process creation and management
Main memory management
File Access, Directory, and File system management
Device handling(I/O)
Protection
Networking, etc.
Process control: end, abort, create, terminate, allocate, and free
memory.
File management: create, open, close, delete, read files,s, etc.
Device management
Information maintenance
Communication

Features of System Calls

Interface: System calls provide a well-defined interface between user
programs and the operating system. Programs make requests by calling
specific functions, and the operating system responds by executing the
requested service and returning a result.
Protection: System calls are used to access privileged operations that are
not available to normal user programs. The operating system uses this
privilege to protect the system from malicious or unauthorized access.
Kernel Mode: When a system call is made, the program is temporarily
switched from user mode to kernel mode. In kernel mode, the program
has access to all system resources, including hardware, memory, and
other processes.
Context Switching: A system call requires a context switch, which
involves saving the state of the current process and switching to the
kernel mode to execute the requested service. This can introduce
overhead, which can impact system performance.
Error Handling: System calls can return error codes to indicate problems
with the requested service. Programs must check for these errors and
handle them appropriately.
Synchronization: System calls can be used to synchronize access to
shared resources, such as files or network connections. The operating
system provides synchronization mechanisms, such as locks or
semaphores, to ensure that multiple programs can access these resources
safely.

System Calls Advantages

Access to hardware resources: System calls allow programs to access
hardware resources such as disk drives, printers, and network devices.
Memory management: System calls provide a way for programs to
allocate and deallocate memory, as well as access memory-mapped
hardware devices.
Process management: System calls allow programs to create and
terminate processes, as well as manage inter-process communication.
Security: System calls provide a way for programs to access privileged
resources, such as the ability to modify system settings or perform
operations that require administrative permissions.
Standardization: System calls provide a standardized interface for
programs to interact with the operating system, ensuring consistency and
compatibility across different hardware platforms and operating system
versions.

How does System Call Work?

Here is the detailed explanation step by step how system call work:

User need special resources : Sometimes programs need to do some

special things which can’t be done without the permission of OS like
reading from a file, writing to a file , getting any information from the
hardware or requesting a space in memory.

Program makes a system call request : There are special predefined

instruction to make a request to the operating system. These instruction
are nothing but just a “system call”. The program uses these system calls
in its code when needed.

Operating system sees the system call : When the OS sees the system
call then it recongnises that the program need help at this time so it
temporarily stop the program execution and give all the control to special
part of itself called ‘Kernel’ . Now ‘Kernel’ solve the need of program.

Operating system performs the operations :Now the operating system

perform the operation which is requested by program . Example : reading
content from a file etc.

Operating system give control back to the program : After performing

the special operation, OS give control back to the program for further
execution of program .

Examples of a System Call in Windows and Unix

System calls for Windows and Unix come in many different forms. These are
listed in the table below as follows:

Process Windows Quiz

CreateProcess() Fork()

Process Control ExitProcess() Exit()

WaitForSingleObject() Wait()

Open()
CreateFile()
Read()
File manipulation ReadFile()
Write()
WriteFile()
Close()

SetConsoleMode() Ioctl()

Device Management ReadConsole() Read()

WriteConsole() Write()

GetCurrentProcessID() Getpid()
Information
SetTimer() Alarm()
Maintenance
Sleep() Sleep()
Process Windows Quiz

CreatePipe() Pipe()

Communication CreateFileMapping() Shmget()

MapViewOfFile() Mmap()

SetFileSecurity()
Chmod()
InitializeSecurityDescrip
Protection tor() Umask()

SetSecurityDescriptorgr Chown()
oup()

open(): Accessing a file on a file system is possible with the open() system
call. It gives the file resources it needs and a handle the process can use. A
file can be opened by multiple processes simultaneously or just one process.
Everything is based on the structure and file system.

read(): Data from a file on the file system is retrieved using it. In general, it
accepts three arguments:

1. A description of a file.
2. A buffer for read data storage.
3. How many bytes should be read from the file
Before reading, the file to be read could be identified by its file descriptor
and opened using the open() function.

wait(): In some systems, a process might need to hold off until another
process has finished running before continuing. When a parent process
creates a child process, the execution of the parent process is halted until
the child process is complete. The parent process is stopped using the wait()
system call. The parent process regains control once the child process has
finished running.

write(): Data from a user buffer is written using it to a device like a file. A
program can produce data in one way by using this system call. generally,
there are three arguments:
1. A description of a file.
2. A reference to the buffer where data is stored.
3. The amount of data that will be written from the buffer in bytes.

fork(): The fork() system call is used by processes to create copies of

themselves. It is one of the methods used the most frequently in operating
systems to create processes. When a parent process creates a child process,
the parent process’s execution is suspended until the child process is
finished. The parent process regains control once the child process has
finished running.

exit(): A system call called exit() is used to terminate a program. In

environments with multiple threads, this call indicates that the thread
execution is finished. After using the exit() system function, the operating
system recovers the resources used by the process.

Methods to pass parameters to OS

If a system call occur, we have to pass parameter to the Kernal part of the
Operating system.

For example look at the given open() system call:

//function call example

#include <fcntl.h>

int open(const char *pathname, int flags, mode_t mode);

Here pathname, flags and mode_t are the parameters.

So it is to be noted that :

We can’t pass the parameters directly like in an ordinary function call.

In Kernal mode there is a different way to perform a function call.
So we can’t run it in the normal address space that the process had already
created and hence we cant place the parameters in the top of the stack
because it is not available to the Kernal of the operating system for
processing. so we have to adopt any other methods to pass the parameters
to the Kernal of the OS.

We can done it through,

1. Passing parameters in registers

2. Address of the block is passed as a parameter in a register.
3. Parameters are pushed into a stack.

Let us discuss about each points in detail:

1. Passing parameters in registers.

It is the simplest method among the three

Here we directly pass the parameters to registers.
But it will it is limited when, number of parameters are greater than the
number of registers.
Here is the C program code:

// Passing parameters in registers.

#include <fcntl.h>
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
const char* pathname = "example.txt";
int flags = O_RDONLY;
mode_t mode = 0644;

int fd = open(pathname, flags, mode);

// in function call open(), we passed the parameters pathanme,flags,mode to t

if (fd == -1) {
perror("Error opening file");
return 1;
}

// File operations here...

close(fd);
return 0;
}

2.Address of the block is passed as parameters

It can be applied when the number of parameters are greater than the
number of registers.
Parameters are stored in blocks or table.
The address of the block is passed to a register as a parameter.
Most commonly used in Linux and Solaris.
Here is the C program code:

//Address of the block is passed as parameters

#include <stdio.h>
#include <fcntl.h>

int main() {
const char *pathname = "example.txt";
int flags = O_RDONLY;
mode_t mode = 0644;

int params[3];
// Block of data(parameters) in array
params[0] = (int)pathname;
params[1] = flags;
params[2] = mode;

int fd = syscall(SYS_open, params);

// system call

if (fd == -1) {
perror("Error opening file");
return 1;
}

// File operations here...

close(fd);
return 0;
}
3.Parameters are pushed in a stack

In this method parameters can be pushed in using the program and

popped out using the operating system
So the Kernal can easily access the data by retrieving information from
the top of the stack.
Here is the C program code

//parameters are pushed into the stack

#include <stdio.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>

int main() {
const char *pathname = "example.txt";
int flags = O_RDONLY;
mode_t mode = 0644;

int fd;
asm volatile(
"mov %1, %%rdi\n"
"mov %2, %%rsi\n"
"mov %3, %%rdx\n"
"mov $2, %%rax\n"
"syscall"
: "=a" (fd)
: "r" (pathname), "r" (flags), "r" (mode)
: "%rdi", "%rsi", "%rdx"
);

if (fd == -1) {
perror("Error opening file");
return 1;
}

// File operations here...

close(fd);
return 0;
}
Frequently Asked Question

Q.1: How does a system call work?

Answer:

When a program executes a system call, it transitions from user mode

to kernel mode, which is a higher privileged mode. The transition is
typically initiated by invoking a specific function or interrupting
instruction provided by the programming language or the operating
system.

Once in kernel mode, the system call is handled by the operating

system. The kernel performs the requested operation on behalf of the
program and returns the result. Afterward, control is returned to the
user-level program, which continues its execution.

Q.2: Why are system calls necessary?

Answer:

System calls are necessary for several reasons:

Access to privileged operations: Many operations, such as managing

hardware devices or modifying system configurations, require higher
privileges that are only accessible through system calls.

Resource management: System calls provide a standardized interface

for allocating and managing system resources like memory, files, and
devices, ensuring fair and controlled access by different processes.

Abstraction: System calls abstract the underlying complexities of the

operating system, allowing application developers to interact with the
system in a higher-level, platform-independent manner.

Security and protection: System calls enforce access control and

security policies, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive resources
and protecting the integrity of the system.

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