Conceptual understanding

[CybrGuy]

OK, so I am just trying to understand some process with these devices.
The bootloader is the gatekeeper or blocking agent that keeps "unapproved" software from being added to a smartphone. So when a phone is rooted, does it disable the bootloader, remove the bootloader, punch a hole thru it or circumvent it, leaving it intact? I would guess the last option as unrooting it doesn't seem to include reinstalling the bootloader (as far as I can tell) but I am curious as to the correct answer.

 

[jonbanjo]

A bootloader loads an operating system.

On Unix and Unix like (Android is based on Linux which is Unix like) operating systems, root is the all powerful user who can do anything he wants to the system.

As far as I understand it with Android, root is always present but you can not act as that user. I believe rooting adds the su (stands for substitute user) program which enables you to act as root.