What is an operating system?
An Operating System (OS) is an interface between a computer user and computer hardware. An operating system is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file management, memory management, process management, handling input and output, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
Functions of an operating system
Memory Management
Memory management refers to management of Primary Memory or Main Memory. Main memory is a large array of words or bytes where each word or byte has its own address.Main memory provides a fast storage that can be accessed directly by the CPU. For a program to be executed, it must in the main memory. An Operating System does the following activities for memory management
Device Management
An Operating System manages device communication via their respective drivers. It does the following activities for device management −
Keeps tracks of all devices. Program responsible for this task is known as the I/O controller.
Decides which process gets the device when and for how much time.
Allocates the device in the efficient way.
De-allocates devices.
File Management
A file system is normally organized into directories for easy navigation and usage. These directories may contain files and other directions.
An Operating System does the following activities for file management −
Keeps track of information, location, uses, status etc. The collective facilities are often known as file system.
Decides who gets the resources.
Allocates the resources.
De-allocates the resources.
Today, a variety of operating systems are available for use on different devices, including mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and so on, and even the newest ones are developing unique characteristics.
Some of the examples:
Linux: Open-source OS available in various distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian), popular for its customization, security, and server use.
Chrome OS: Developed by Google, based on the Linux kernel, primarily used for Chromebooks, focusing on web-based applications and cloud integration.1. Desktop and Laptop Operating Systems
These are general-purpose operating systems designed for personal computers and laptops
