| An interface to the operating system is called a shell. It is the outermost layer of the operating system and manages the interaction between the user and the operating system. | Kernel is the core component of an operating system which acts as an interface between applications and the data processing being performed at the hardware level. |
| The shell forms the outer layer of the operating system. | The kernel forms the inner layer of the operating system. |
| A shell performs memory management. | A kernel performs process management. |