PC software allows your computer to do amazing things such as digital photo cropping and editing, sophisticated pc gaming and video internet streaming. It can also manage your documents, perform security checks and run system optimisation programs such as CCleaner.
Other important types of pc software include middleware, which sits between application and system software; driver software, which operates hardware devices; and language processors, which convert human-readable program code into machine language.
Applications
Unlike system software that adjusts the hardware, computer applications perform specific functions for users like word processing or playing video games. It also creates output that can be displayed on the screen or sent over the Internet to other devices.
Application software includes word processors that enable users to write documents in any format, image editors for bitmap and vector images, web browsers for accessing the World Wide Web, communication programs for email, instant messaging, text chat, audio/video conferencing and telephony, media players for streaming multimedia files, and video games for a variety of genres.
Often called apps, these programs can be installed on desktop computers and mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. They can be native (which accesses device hardware) or web-based (accessed via a browser and which may use application programming interfaces for certain hardware features). They can be accessed offline, although updates are frequently downloaded and require an active internet connection.
System
System software works closely with computer hardware, providing a platform that higher-level application programs can use. It also abstracts the underlying hardware so that an application doesn’t need to know whether a video card is an ATI or Nvidia model or what kind of disk a computer has.
The operating system carries out various tasks to keep the hardware running smoothly, such as memory maintenance, error detection and security. It also uses a language processor to convert the high-level programming languages such as Java, Python and C++ that most other programs are written in into low-level machine code instructions that the CPU can read.
The OS then loads the program into memory by allocating an area of the main memory and loading the first section of its native code into that space. It can also control how hardware devices such as monitors, printers and USB drives connect and function with the computer. Other types of system software include device drivers and utility programs.
Driver
A device driver is the middleware that translates an operating system’s generic commands into the specific instructions required to operate the hardware it’s connecting to. Without the proper drivers, hardware components like printers and graphics cards might not work correctly or at all.
Device drivers usually come bundled with the hardware they are intended to operate with or they may be available for download from their manufacturers’ websites. It’s a good idea to always use the latest version of a device driver and to only install them from their original manufacturers as third-party drivers can introduce compatibility issues or security vulnerabilities (e.g., a backdoor driver could give malware control over your computer).
Software drivers run in user mode and provide an interface between an application and kernel-mode driver or other operating system components. They enable access to protected data structures that are only accessible in kernel mode. Most pc drivers run in user mode but some run in kernel mode as well.
Utilities
Utility software enables computer users to complete tasks that are beyond the capabilities of an operating system. These include diagnostic programs such as memory testers, network utilities to analyze a computer’s networking connectivity or configure network settings, and package managers to install or keep up with other software on the computer.
Disk cleaners clear junk files, and disk defragmenters organize a computer’s hard drive to improve file access times. Virus protection software is an example of utility software that protects a computer against damaging viruses, spyware, and malware applications.
CCleaner is a popular example of utility software that cleans the junk files and frees up disk space on a computer. It also safeguards privacy and works on both old and new systems. Another example is EaseUS Todo Backup software, which provides an efficient backup solution that is used by over 20 million people worldwide. It provides instant recovery and disk imaging features, and its simple user interface makes it easy to use.