Difference Between Application Software and Operating System
Last Updated :
21 Dec, 2023
A computer can only carry out certain tasks with the help of software, which is a set of guidelines or instructions. Software can be broadly divided into two categories: system software and application software. The primary program on a computer that has direct access to the hardware of the system is called system software. It looks after and keeps an eye on all the other computer processes.
What is an Operating System?
An operating system is a computer program, works as interface between user and hardware and provides common services for computer programs. The entire process or functionality of computer system depends on the operating system. It is developed by using c++, c, and assembly languages.
An operating system performs a variety of tasks like, It manages files and directory creation and deletion, process creation, deletion, synchronization, memory allocation, and deallocation. An operating system also prevents the computer system from unauthorized access and secures the resources, information and data. It's examples are Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix, DOS. Overall, we can say that without an operating system a computer system is nothing. 
In above diagram, we can clearly see that the system and application program or software depend upon the operating system which is act as the interface between user and computer hardware.
Types of Operating System
Below are some types of Operating System.
- Batch operating system: Enables simultaneous use by numerous users. However, the users are not connected to one another. The OS and hardware don't communicate directly. Between the OS and the hardware, there are specific operators.
- Time-sharing operating system: Every task has a set amount of time to complete it. The following duty takes over control once the allotted time has elapsed.
- Distributed operating system: In this scenario, an OS is connected to every computer system. Every computer is connected to a single operating system and has its own memory and CPU. Computers that are connected to the network can access a variety of files that are not physically on them.
- Network Operating system: In this case, each computer is linked to a shared server and runs its own operating system.
- Real-time operating systems: These systems are made to finish certain tasks within a given amount of time. They're utilized in airbags, missiles, etc.
What is Application Software?
Application Software is one of the type of software which runs or executes as per user request. High level languages such as java, c, c++ etc are used to develop the application software. Application software is a specific purpose software which is intended to perform some task grouped together. Without an operating system application software can not be installed. It’s examples are Photoshop, VLC media player, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google chrome etc.
Types of Application Software
Below are some types of Application Software.
- Freeware: This application software is offered for free, as the name implies. Among the freeware programs are Adobe Reader, Yahoo Messenger, LibreOffice, and others.
- Open source: These programs' source code is accessible to everyone, allowing for modifications and the addition of new features. Examples of open source software include the GIMP and the Apache web server.
- Shareware: This software has a trial period during which it is free to download; after that, a fee is required to continue using it. Among the shareware applications are Winzip, Adobe Acrobat, Skype, and others.
- Custom software: Software specifically created for a person or organization is known as custom software. Among the custom software solutions are e-commerce and fintech solutions.
- Packaged software: Software that is packaged is software that consists of several related apps. The best illustration for this is Microsoft Office. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other programs are included.
Difference Between Application Software and Operating System
|
| A computer program which is intended to perform some task classified along. | A system computer program that manages hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. |
| Application software is downloaded from internet. | Operating system comes installed on the device purchased. |
| It is developed by using virtual basic, C++, C, and Java. | It is developed by using C++, C, and assembly languages. |
| The application software's primary goal is to accomplish a specific task. | To manage hardware resources efficiently. |
| It is usually in Megabytes(MB). | It is usually in Gigabytes(GB). |
| The application is only launched when the user wants it. | When the user turns on the computer, it begins to boot up and continues to run until the user turns it off. |
| It is built to perform some specific tasks. | It works as an interface between user and hardware and performs a variety of tasks like memory management, scheduling, process management, etc. |
| It always depends upon the operating system. | But it does not depend upon application software. It provides the path to execute or run the application software. |
| It runs when the user desires to run the application. | It boots up when the user wants and runs until the user switches off the machine. |
| Its examples are Photoshop, VLC player, etc. | Its examples are Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix, and DOS. |
Similar Reads
Operating System Tutorial An Operating System(OS) is a software that manages and handles hardware and software resources of a computing device. Responsible for managing and controlling all the activities and sharing of computer resources among different running applications.A low-level Software that includes all the basic fu
4 min read
Types of Operating Systems Operating Systems can be categorized according to different criteria like whether an operating system is for mobile devices (examples Android and iOS) or desktop (examples Windows and Linux). Here, we are going to classify based on functionalities an operating system provides.8 Main Operating System
11 min read
What is an Operating System? An Operating System is a System software that manages all the resources of the computing device. Acts as an interface between the software and different parts of the computer or the computer hardware. Manages the overall resources and operations of the computer. Controls and monitors the execution o
9 min read
CPU Scheduling in Operating Systems CPU scheduling is a process used by the operating system to decide which task or process gets to use the CPU at a particular time. This is important because a CPU can only handle one task at a time, but there are usually many tasks that need to be processed. The following are different purposes of a
8 min read
Introduction of Deadlock in Operating System A deadlock is a situation where a set of processes is blocked because each process is holding a resource and waiting for another resource acquired by some other process. In this article, we will discuss deadlock, its necessary conditions, etc. in detail.Deadlock is a situation in computing where two
11 min read
Page Replacement Algorithms in Operating Systems In an operating system that uses paging for memory management, a page replacement algorithm is needed to decide which page needs to be replaced when a new page comes in. Page replacement becomes necessary when a page fault occurs and no free page frames are in memory. in this article, we will discus
7 min read
Paging in Operating System Paging is the process of moving parts of a program, called pages, from secondary storage (like a hard drive) into the main memory (RAM). The main idea behind paging is to break a program into smaller fixed-size blocks called pages.To keep track of where each page is stored in memory, the operating s
8 min read
Disk Scheduling Algorithms Disk scheduling algorithms are crucial in managing how data is read from and written to a computer's hard disk. These algorithms help determine the order in which disk read and write requests are processed, significantly impacting the speed and efficiency of data access. Common disk scheduling metho
12 min read
Memory Management in Operating System Memory is a hardware component that stores data, instructions and information temporarily or permanently for processing. It consists of an array of bytes or words, each with a unique address. Memory holds both input data and program instructions needed for the CPU to execute tasks.Memory works close
7 min read
Banker's Algorithm in Operating System Banker's Algorithm is a resource allocation and deadlock avoidance algorithm used in operating systems. It ensures that a system remains in a safe state by carefully allocating resources to processes while avoiding unsafe states that could lead to deadlocks.The Banker's Algorithm is a smart way for
8 min read