An operating system is the software that runs in the background of a computer, managing many hardware components, such as memory files, file systems, and input/output devices like keyboards monitors, printers, and modems. It also controls access to the central processor unit or CPU.
An OS allows multiple programs to run simultaneously, a process known as multitasking. This is possible because the OS allocates system resources, such as memory space and CPU time, to a program during execution. It keeps track of the program’s use of these resources and ensures that the program does not interfere with other programs that are using these same resources.
Operating systems track where files are located and the state of their files on the computer’s disk. They create the virtual directory structure and store the location of each file in addition to other metadata, such as the date it was created or modified. An OS also makes it possible for an application to access the hardware on a computer by using drivers. These drivers translate the hardware’s proprietary language into a standard language that an operating system can recognize.
When an application wishes to save a document, it switches to the kernel of the operating system. This is because the program cannot directly connect to the disk drive and needs an interface driver to communicate with it. The operating system then creates and translates the file request into logic operation, and the hardware is then utilized as instructed.