11-07-2011
A regular function runs mostly in user space, and usually has a consistent interface across platforms (eg. the printf function takes the same arguments on Windows, AIX, Linux, BSD, MacOS, ...)
A system call, however, is the direct interface to the kernel functions. These are usually called by the C library as part of a regular function, and involve (as far as I know) triggering an interrupt. They are, by definition, very closely tied to the kernel, and not really that portable.
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---------- Post updated at 01:39 AM ---------- Previous update was at 01:31 AM ----------
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LEARN ABOUT LINUX
socketcall
SOCKETCALL(2) Linux Programmer's Manual SOCKETCALL(2)
NAME
socketcall - socket system calls
SYNOPSIS
int socketcall(int call, unsigned long *args);
DESCRIPTION
socketcall() is a common kernel entry point for the socket system calls. call determines which socket function to invoke. args points to
a block containing the actual arguments, which are passed through to the appropriate call.
User programs should call the appropriate functions by their usual names. Only standard library implementors and kernel hackers need to
know about socketcall().
CONFORMING TO
This call is specific to Linux, and should not be used in programs intended to be portable.
NOTES
On a few architectures, for example ia64, there is no socketcall() system call; instead socket(2), accept(2), bind(2), and so on really are
implemented as separate system calls.
SEE ALSO
accept(2), bind(2), connect(2), getpeername(2), getsockname(2), getsockopt(2), listen(2), recv(2), recvfrom(2), recvmsg(2), send(2),
sendmsg(2), sendto(2), setsockopt(2), shutdown(2), socket(2), socketpair(2)
COLOPHON
This page is part of release 3.27 of the Linux man-pages project. A description of the project, and information about reporting bugs, can
be found at http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.
Linux 2007-06-28 SOCKETCALL(2)