What is the purpose of namespaces in an operating system?

The purpose of namespaces in an operating system is to isolate processes from each other. Namespaces provide a way to create an environment in which a set of resources, such as process IDs, network interfaces, and file systems, are separate from those of other processes. This means that processes running in different namespaces can have conflicting resource identifiers without affecting each other.

For instance, in a Linux environment, the use of namespaces is fundamental to container technology, enabling multiple containers to run on the same host without interfering with one another. Each container can have its own file system, network stack, and process trees, fostering a high level of isolation.

This isolation facilitates improved security and stability since processes and applications can operate without collision, making it easier to deploy and manage microservices and applications in cloud environments or on local servers. By maintaining separate namespaces, the system can effectively ensure that issues in one process do not spill over into others, promoting a clean and organized computing environment.