The
Multiboot Specification is an
open standard describing how a
boot loader can load an
x86 operating system
kernel. The specification allows any compliant boot loader implementation to boot any compliant
operating system kernel. Thus, it allows different operating systems and boot loaders to work together and interoperate, without the need for operating system–specific boot loaders. As a result, it also allows easier coexistence of different operating systems on a single computer, which is also known as
multi-booting.