Which category of system software provides a platform for application software to run in?

This article discusses the differences between system, utility, and application software that can run on a computer.

Software is used to control a computer. There are different types of software that can run on a computer: system software, utility software, and application software.

Let’s take a closer look at them.

1. System software

If you think of software as being in layers, the system software is the bottom layer: it sits between the hardware and the application software.

Operating systems like Windows, macOS, Android and iOS are examples of system software. Operating systems are loaded into RAM when the device starts up, and have access to the hard drive.

2. Utility software

Utility software is part of the system software and performs specific tasks to keep the computer running. Utility software is always running in the background. Examples of utility software are security and optimisation programs.

Security programs include anti-virus software that scans and removes viruses. Most computers will include some sort of anti-virus software, but you can add your own.

Optimisation programs can include tools for system clean-up, disk defragmentation, and file compression. These tools are typically installed as part of the operating system. They have access to the hard drive to keep it tidy.

3. Application software

This is everything else! Anything that is not an operating system or a utility is an application or app. So a word processor, spreadsheet, web browser, and graphics software are all examples of application software, and they can do many specific tasks.

You can remove and add applications on your computer using the operating system.

Application software like a word processor regularly directs the operating system to load and save files from and to the hard drive. When you are working on a file, it is saved temporarily in the RAM. It is only when you choose to save it that it is written to the hard drive.

This is why, if the computer crashes while you’re working on a file, you may lose any changes you didn’t save. Data stored in the RAM is volatile. The data is lost when the RAM loses power.

The operating system

Application software also uses the operating system to talk to the hardware on the computer and to other software. When a web browser wants to load a web page, it is the operating system that controls access to the internet and fetches the information from the web.

Similarly, the operating system also provides the application software information about what key is being pressed, and about the mouse: where it is, what it clicked, and where it’s moving on screen.

Application software relies heavily on the operating system to do these tasks and send it all this information.

System software is software designed to provide a platform for other software. Examples of system software include operating systems (OS) like macOS, Linux, Android and Microsoft Windows, computational science software, game engines, search engines, industrial automation, and software as a service applications.[1]

Application software is software that allows users to do user-oriented tasks such as create text documents, play or develop games, create presentations, listen to music, draw pictures or browse the web.[2]

In the late 1940s, the early days of computing, most application software was custom-written by computer users to fit their specific hardware and requirements. System software was usually supplied by the manufacturer of the computer hardware and was intended to be used by most or all users of that system.

Many operating systems come pre-packaged with basic application software. Such software is not considered system software when it can be uninstalled without affecting the functioning of other software. Examples of such software are games and simple editing tools supplied with Microsoft Windows, or software development toolchains supplied with many Linux distributions.

Some of the grayer areas between system and application software are web browsers integrated deeply into the operating system such as Internet Explorer in some versions of Microsoft Windows, or Chrome OS and Firefox OS where the browser functions as the only user interface and the only way to run programs (and other web browsers can not be installed in their place).

Cloud-based software is another example of systems software, providing services to a software client (usually a web browser or a JavaScript application running in the web browser), not to the user directly. It is developed using system programming methodologies and systems programming languages.

Operating systems or system control program[edit]

The operating system (prominent examples being Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, and z/OS), allows the parts of a computer to work together by performing tasks like transferring data between memory and disks or rendering output onto a display device. It provides a platform (hardware abstraction layer) to run high-level system software and application software.

A kernel is the core part of the operating system that defines an API for applications programs (including some system software) and an interface to device drivers.

Device drivers and devices firmware, including computer BIOS, provide basic functionality to operate and control the hardware connected to or built into the computer.

A user interface "allows users to interact with a computer."[3] Either a command-line interface (CLI) or, since the 1980s a graphical user interface (GUI). This is the part of the operating system the user directly interacts with, it is considered an application and not system software.

Utility software or system support programs[edit]

Some organizations use the term systems programmer to describe a job function which is more accurately termed systems administrator. Software tools these employees use are then called system software. This utility software helps to analyze, configure, optimize and maintain the computer, such as virus protection. The term system software can also include software development tools (like a compiler, linker or debugger).[4]

See also[edit]

• System programming
• System programming language
• IBM mainframe utility programs

System software of video game consoles

• From Microsoft:

Xbox 360 system softwareXbox One system software

• From Nintendo:

Wii system softwareWii U system softwareNintendo DSi system softwareNintendo 3DS system softwareNintendo Switch system software

• From Sony:

PlayStation 3 system softwarePlayStation 4 system softwarePlayStation Portable system softwarePlayStation Vita system software

References[edit]

1. ^ "Panel: Systems Programming in 2014 and Beyond". Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2014-06-07. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
2. ^ Millner, W. W.; Montgomery-Smith, Ann (2022). Information and Communication technology for Intermediate Gnvq. p. 126.
3. ^ Daeryong, Kim. "Microcomputer Information Technology". Retrieved 2013-09-22.
4. ^ "What is systems software?". Webopedia.com. May 24, 2021 [September 1, 1996]. Retrieved 2022-06-24.

External links[edit]

• Sammet, Jean (October 1971). "Brief Survey of Languages Used for Systems Implementation". ACM SIGPLAN Notices. 6 (9): 1–19. doi:10.1145/942596.807055.

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