Android is based on a modified version of which kernel?

Android is based on a modified version of the Linux kernel.

The kernel is the core layer of an operating system: it manages hardware resources, memory, processes, security boundaries, and communication with device components. Android uses Linux as this foundation, then adds its own libraries, runtime, framework, hardware abstractions, and user interface.

Android’s Linux kernel is not identical to the kernel used by a conventional desktop distribution. Google and device makers adapt it for phones and embedded hardware, including power management, memory behavior, device drivers, and mobile security requirements. Android also uses Bionic rather than the GNU C library commonly found in desktop Linux systems.

This distinction causes a frequent terminology mix-up. Android is Linux-based, but it is not simply a desktop Linux distribution with a mobile interface. It has a different software stack and application framework, while still relying on the Linux kernel’s core operating-system functions.