Operating systems (OS) are a collection of integrated programs that manage computer resources and operations. From a user’s perspective standpoint, the OS is invisible — however, it offers applications with services that they can utilize to make computer hardware and software more accessible.
It is a fundamental operating system function. The OS must be capable of arranging the contents of files in order to increase speed, reliability and efficiency of storage. This structure, also known as a file-system, allows files to be given attributes and names. They can also be arranged into directories or folders to create a directory tree.
Most computers are equipped with many types of hardware devices such as keyboards, mice, and printers, which rely on driver software to communicate with the system. The operating system installs and configures these drivers to provide the correct service to applications. It also hides details about the hardware from the user to allow them to interact with their computer without knowing the specific hardware configuration.
Process Management
OSs track all applications running on a computer. They also decide how much time each application will get in a multitasking environment. It also handles interruptions that applications create to attract the attention of processors and ensures there is enough memory available for the application to perform its task without interfering with other processes.
Operating systems also perform other functions that are connected to the overall operation of the computer, including keeping the primary memory full of large word or byte arrays that each have an address. The OS can monitor how many bytes are used by various applications and shift, delete, or reorganize these bytes to free space.
