Liangxu Linux

May 9, 2021 · Fundamentals

How Linux Allocates Heap Memory: Inside vm_area_struct and the brk System Call

This article explains the Linux kernel's heap memory allocation process, covering the vm_area_struct and mm_struct data structures, the brk system call implementation, and the page‑fault handling that maps virtual addresses to physical memory, while also mentioning other allocation mechanisms such as mmap and HugePages.