What is a system call?

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What is a system call?

A system call is a mechanism provided by the operating system that allows a program to request services from the kernel. It provides an interface between user-level applications and the operating system, enabling the program to perform privileged operations such as file I/O, process management, network communication, and hardware control. System calls are typically invoked through software interrupts or special instructions, and they provide a way for user programs to interact with the underlying system resources and services.