Lexicon Entry
Windows
Microsoft Windows is a family of proprietary operating systems with a fundamentally different architecture from Unix-like systems, notably using the PE executable format and a specialized API suite (Win32/NT API).
Related Knowledge & Cross-References
Windows Threads and Synchronization: Win32 API and NT Primitives
A deep dive into Windows multithreading. Learn how to manage threads with CreateThread, synchronize using SRWLocks, and build high-performance blocking mechanisms with WaitOnAddress (the Windows futex).
The NT Kernel Approach: Understanding Windows Process Creation
A deep dive into the NT Kernel approach to processes. Learn why Windows lacks fork(), the architecture of Windows subsystems like csrss, and how to use CreateProcess in the Win32 API.
Build a Debugger from Scratch: Ultimate 3 OS Guide (Part 8)
Build a working debugger from scratch in assembly. Learn how breakpoints, ptrace, and signal interception let one process inspect and control another.
System Calls Demystified: 4 Essential Facts About the User-Kernel Bridge
How does your program actually do anything? We dive deep into the syscall instruction, kernel mode transitions, and the differences between Linux, macOS, and Windows system calls.
Process Loading & Creation: The Life of a Binary
Curious about process loading? We trace the journey from disk to execution, covering the OS loader, ASLR, and dynamic linking on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Stack Frames & Function Prologues Demystified: x86-64 & ARM64 Guide
Master stack frame prologue and epilogue patterns across x86-64 and ARM64 architectures. Learn how function calls work at the assembly level on Linux, macOS, and Windows.