30 Jun What Is an Operating System?

The operating system manages the operations and resources of the computer through controlling the access to the central processor unit (CPU) memory, file storage and input/output devices. It also performs tasks like scheduling resource use to avoid interfering and conflicts between processes, regulating the structure and contents of files stored in non-primary storage media and determining which software programs are able to use hardware components such as Wi-Fi adapters or disk drives. It also permits users to connect to the system via the use of a Graphical User Interface or Command-Line Interface.

Process Management

The operating system manages the start, stop, and resumption of applications. It decides which application is to run first and for how long it is able to utilize the CPU, and when it’s time to end. It is also able to split a program into several threads, allowing it to run on several processors in parallel. Each of these actions is controlled by an operating system routine referred to as the process control block.

File management

Operating systems manage the structure and content of files within non-primary data storage. They know the location where each piece of information within a file is and can transfer it between storage and memory when required. They can also map virtual memory pages into physical memory pages for faster access. This is known as demand paging.

It also interacts directly with the hardware on the computer through drivers and other interface software. For example, if an application wants to utilize a particular piece of hardware like an adaptor for Wi-Fi the operating system will provide the driver, and let the application access it. This lets the programmer avoid writing a piece of code for each Wi-Fi adapter disk drive or other similar hardware.

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