[Verse 1] Deep inside the kernel's core, memory waits to be explored Virtual pages map the way, physical frames where data stays Slab allocator stands guard, buddy system works so hard Fragmenting and coalescing, memory pools are never sleeping [Chorus] Stack grows down and heap grows up Page fault handler lifts you up DMA direct memory access Virtual to physical address K-M-A-L-L-O-C allocates M-M-U translates Memory management never sleeps In the kernel's memory deeps [Verse 2] Page cache holds your files, dirty pages wait their trials Write-back daemon cleaning house, read-ahead predicting routes Buffer heads and bio requests, scatter gather does its best Block layer orchestrates, while the scheduler delegates [Chorus] Stack grows down and heap grows up Page fault handler lifts you up DMA direct memory access Virtual to physical address K-M-A-L-L-O-C allocates M-M-U translates I-O paths never sleep In the kernel's storage deep [Bridge] Interrupts fire when I-O completes Bottom halves handle what the top half meets Softirq and tasklets, workqueues in line Synchronous blocking, async by design [Verse 3] Copy from user, copy to user space Kernel and user in their separate place Memory barriers keep the order straight Cache coherency won't make you wait [Chorus] Stack grows down and heap grows up Page fault handler lifts you up DMA direct memory access Virtual to physical address K-M-A-L-L-O-C allocates M-M-U translates System calls bridge the space Between kernel and user place [Outro] When performance starts to drag Check your memory with V-M-S-T-A-T I-O wait and page faults high Memory pressure in the sky Understanding makes you wise In full-stack engineering's eyes
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