System software refers to the low-level software that manages and controls a computer’s hardware and provides basic services to higher-level software. There are two main types of software: systems software and application software. Systems software includes the programs that are dedicated to managing the computer itself, such as the operating system, file management utilities, and disk operating system (or DOS).
Features of System Software
The most important features of system software are as below.
- Memory Management: operating system perform memory management. The OS keeps track of the primary memory and allocates the memory when a process requests it.
- Processor Management: OS performs process management. Allocates the main memory (RAM) to a process and de-allocates it when it is no longer required.
- File Management: Operating system perform file management. Allocates and de-allocates the resources and decides who gets the resources.
- Security: Prevents unauthorized access to programs and data using passwords.
- Error-detecting Aids: Production of dumps, traces, error messages, and other debugging and error-detecting methods.
- Scheduling: The OS schedules the process through its scheduling algorithms.
Types of System Software
