Dictionary · Certification Terminology
Operating System
Systems · Beginner
The software that manages hardware, processes, memory, files, and user sessions so applications do not have to do that work themselves.
Windows, Linux, and macOS are examples. The system starts processes, enforces permissions, and provides the files and network interfaces applications use.
Example: When two applications open at once, the operating system schedules the processor and keeps their memory separate.
Common misconception
- A browser or office suite is an application. It is not the layer that manages the whole computer.