8 Programming Languages for Building Operating Systems

8 Programming languages an operating system developer should know

The process of building an operating system is often challenging and complex. Developers use low-level system programming to develop operating systems as it offers them more control over how computer memory is managed and also reduces resource consumption and minimizes latency. Low level enables developers to interface with hardware and ensure that the OS can smoothly communicate with the underlying computer architecture. Though there are many languages that can be used to develop an operating system, there are some languages that the developers prefer more than others for the benefits the languages offer. Here is the list of 8 programming languages that are more commonly used:

Assembly Language:

Kernel is a most critical part of an operating system and assembly language is often used by developers to write it. It is the lowest level programming language that is often used there, where the system requires low-level access to the computers' hardware. Different architectures have their own assembly languages.

C:

C is one of the most widely used when it comes to developing an Operating System. The language was created primarily to develop UNIX. C is capable of working with memory addresses and performing pointer arithmetic. It is a fundamental feature that makes it well-suited for system programming. It allows developers to directly manage and manipulate memory, which is crucial when building operating systems and other system-level software.

C++:

C++ is an extension of C. This programming language caters to a few needs while developing an operating system. It helps in creating more object-oriented modular kernels. The development of C++-based operating systems like Haiku and the kernel parts of the Microsoft Windows operating system demonstrates this.

Rust:

Rust has gained some popularity in recent years for offering memory safety, control over low level systems, abstractions, and concurrency support. The language is designed to reduce typical memory-related programming mistakes like null pointer differences, buffer overflows, use-after-free errors, etc. It provides the developers control over memory, interrupts, and CPU registers.

Nim:

Nim is a system programming language. It aims to combine high-level abstractions with low-level efficiency. It's not a traditional choice when it comes to building operating systems but it can be used in niche areas. Nim focuses on simplicity, safety, and performance and it is more suitable for certain user-level components.

ADA:

Ada is a high-integrity language that is typed statically. It is used in safety-critical systems, including certain real-time and embedded operating systems.

Golang:

Golang is also used for specific components of building an operating system. For instance, the Go programming language has been employed to develop various user-level applications, services, and utilities that run on top of the Plan 9 kernel.

Zig:

Zig is designed for low-level development. Besides safety and performance, it focuses on readability. It has gained some attention in the systems programming community. Likewise, Nim, programming language is also not commonly used for complete operating systems building, but it could be employed for writing low-level components, device drivers, or other system-level software.