The operating system is the program that manages the underlying hardware within a computer. It splits the amount of time each program gets to use the CPU. It also allocates disk space and protects data from unauthorized access. It also offers an interface between the hardware and programs. This allows the program to communicate with a variety of hardware devices like printers, Wi-Fi adapters and hard disk drives.
A OS also allows for multiple software processes running simultaneously on a single processor. This is known as multitasking. It also enables the user to communicate with the computer via the use of a GUI (graphical) or command-line interface. The operating great site system could be a single application that runs in memory or a collection programs and libraries on the hard drive that are loaded into memory when needed.
Other crucial functions of operating systems include error detection. The system continually monitors all input and output to spot mistakes and prevent them from causing further issues. It is also responsible for the management of network connections and for establishing security protocols to protect against unauthorized access.
The OS also stores drivers of devices in a standard format, which makes it easier to identify. It can also install and configure new drivers if hardware modifications occur. In addition the OS can translate user programs from high-level languages to machine code by using loader and compiler. It can even relocate data on a disk when it detects a bad sector.