DSDT/SSDT vs Kexts for Hackintosh noobs

Very much a Hackintosh noob. Took me about a week and half to two weeks to get the RAM issues I was having resolved and to get the install to boot from SSD instead of USB.

Now I am at the stage where I need to start resolving other issues: certain keyboard keys not working (screen brightness, mic mute), battery indicator not working, Thunderbolt devices only being recognized if they were plugged in before the OS loads, fan noise/no sensors being recognized, etc.

Anyway, not asking about that stuff right now--I'll get to that if I can't figure it out.

What I am asking about is clarity on DSDT/SSDT vs Kexts and when to use one or the other.

What They Are

So I get that DSDT/SSDT are basically platform (OS) independent identifiers for hardware that act between the firmware and the OS.

DSDT/SSDT: Basic knowledge

DSDT/SSDT: Everything you need to know about SSDT

And I get that Kexts are basically hardware drivers for macOS.

Kexts Explained!

How They Are Used

There are a number of guides on extracting DSDT/SSDT and patching it, for example:

Patching LAPTOP DSDT/SSDTs

Or how to install Kexts:

[GUIDE] Booting the OS X installer on LAPTOPS with Clover UEFI (post #2)

When To Use Which

This I guess isn't what I am understanding:

When should DSDT/SSDT vs Kexts be used?

Should you be trying to resolve issues first through DSDT/SSDT patching?

Should you be using Kexts if you can't?

Or should Kexts be the first approach?

submitted by /u/strumpy_strudel
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