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> Proof assistant kernel, not operating system kernel

It's the neologism they use to own the word and define it however they want. The other one is 'harness' that I didn't even click to see what they want it to mean.

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The word kernel always meant "the most important part of something".

Likewise "harness" can be used to mean "to collect and control something so that it can be used effectively".

As someone who spent years designing wiring harnesses for prototype and test vehicles, I am so tired.

I mean it's an old term in algebra/analytics that predates sytem-kernels by 50 years or so. And even in the meaning compute/solver/gpu-kernel, even thuough predated by systems kernel, it has still been in use at least 30 years.

So proof kernel is not that far fetched, I think. I only skimmed the article though ... so not saying if it was good use here or not.

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