Operating System lies in the category of system software. It basically manages all the resources of the computer. An operating system acts as an interface between the software and different parts of the computer or the computer hardware. The operating system is designed in such a way that it can manage the overall resources and operations of the computer.?
Operating System is a fully integrated set of specialized programs that handle all the operations of the computer. It controls and monitors the execution of all other programs that reside in the computer, which also includes application programs and other system software of the computer. Examples of Operating Systems are Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc.
An Operating System (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system.
The operating system helps in improving the computer software as well as hardware. Without OS, it became very difficult for any application to be user-friendly. The Operating System provides a user with an interface that makes any application attractive and user-friendly. The operating System comes with a large number of device drivers that make OS services reachable to the hardware environment. Each and every application present in the system requires the Operating System. The operating system works as a communication channel between system hardware and system software. The operating system helps an application with the hardware part without knowing about the actual hardware configuration. It is one of the most important parts of the system and hence it is present in every device, whether large or small device.
- Resource Management: The operating system manages and allocates memory, CPU time, and other hardware resources among the various programs and processes running on the computer.
- Process Management: The operating system is responsible for starting, stopping, and managing processes and programs. It also controls the scheduling of processes and allocates resources to them.
- Memory Management: The operating system manages the computer’s primary memory and provides mechanisms for optimizing memory usage.
- Security: The operating system provides a secure environment for the user, applications, and data by implementing security policies and mechanisms such as access controls and encryption.
- Job Accounting: It keeps track of time and resources used by various jobs or users.
- Types of Operating Systems
- Batch Operating System: A Batch Operating System is a type of operating system that does not interact with the computer directly. There is an operator who takes similar jobs having the same requirements and groups them into batches.
- Time-sharing Operating System: Time-sharing Operating System is a type of operating system that allows many users to share computer resources (maximum utilization of the resources).
- Distributed Operating System: Distributed Operating System is a type of operating system that manages a group of different computers and makes appear to be a single computer. These operating systems are designed to operate on a network of computers. They allow multiple users to access shared resources and communicate with each other over the network. Examples include Microsoft Windows Server and various distributions of Linux designed for servers.Examples of Operating Systems?
- Windows (GUI-based, PC)
- GNU/Linux (Personal, Workstations, ISP, File, and print server, Three-tier client/Server)
- macOS (Macintosh), used for Apple’s personal computers and workstations (MacBook, iMac).
- Android (Google’s Operating System for smartphones/tablets/smartwatches)
- iOS (Apple’s OS for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch).
