One may consider the difference between the system software and the application software to be minor. But these two types of software are completely different from each other. Their functioning, purpose and design are all dissimilar with regard to each other.
A System Software acts as an interface between the system and the application software. The various Operating systems are the best example as it allows the user to download and work with various applications on their device.
On the other hand, Application Software is designed for users. The applications can be added to system software. For example, Notepad is an application of MS Windows, which is system software.
In this article, we have given a tabulated comparison between the two types of software for Government exam aspirants.
The comparative analysis between the two types of software will also help IAS exam aspirants with their exam preparation.
It must also be known that there are various other important Computer Knowledge concepts which one must study and be aware of. Given below are the links for the same:
Understanding the key differences between system software and application software is crucial for anyone working with computers today. Though they work together to create a seamless user experience system software and application software serve very different purposes. This article will explain what system software and application software are, compare their key features, and provide examples of each to demonstrate when you’d use one vs the other.
What is System Software?
System software is the foundation that supports a computer’s basic operations and hardware functions. It allows the core components of a computer like the CPU, memory storage and peripherals to communicate with each other. System software has direct access to a computer’s hardware and resources. It is considered low-level software since it interacts at the most fundamental level of the system.
The primary types of system software are:
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Operating Systems: Coordinate computer resources and provide an interface for users and application software. Examples are Windows, MacOS, Linux.
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Device Drivers: Allow peripherals like printers, speakers, and graphics cards to interact with the rest of the computer system.
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Utilities: Perform housekeeping tasks like disk defragmentation, file compression, system backup.
System software is designed to be fast, efficient, and stable since it controls vital computer resources. It uses lower level languages like assembly language for maximum speed and direct hardware control. System software does not directly interact with users. Instead, it runs continuously in the background managing system resources until the computer is turned off.
What is Application Software?
Application software consists of programs designed to carry out specific user tasks like word processing, web browsing, gaming, photo editing, etc. Application software utilizes the resources provided by system software to implement user-focused functionality. It is considered high-level software since it is several steps removed from direct hardware interactions.
There are many categories of application software:
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Productivity software: Office suites, document editors, email clients. Help users create and manage digital content.
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Business software: CRM, ERP, analytics. Designed for commercial and organizational processes.
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Educational software: Reference tools, training programs, skill assessment apps. For teaching and learning.
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Media software: Media players, editors, encoders. For working with digital media.
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Gaming software: Game engines, launchers, mods. For entertainment.
In contrast to system software, application software directly serves the user. It is written in high-level languages for ease of development and utilizes user-friendly graphical interfaces. Application software runs only when launched by the user and exits when the task is complete. It leverages services provided by the system software and hardware to implement specialized functions tailored to the user’s needs.
Key Differences Between System and Application Software
| System Software | Application Software |
|---|---|
| Manages computer resources | Performs user tasks |
| Low-level | High-level |
| Limited user interaction | Direct user interaction |
| Always running | Runs on-demand |
| General purpose | Task-specific |
| Access hardware directly | Uses system resources via OS |
| Written in assembly, C | Written in Java, Python, etc. |
| OS, drivers, utilities | Office apps, games, etc. |
While system software and application software work closely together, they target completely different areas of a computer system. The key differences center around level of abstraction, how they are invoked, and their intended purpose.
System software operates components at the lowest level to provide the foundation of the system. Application software interacts at the highest level with the user and leverages the lower system layers to implement focused user tasks. System software runs continuously to manage resources, while application software runs temporarily for specific jobs.
Real-World Examples
To better understand the roles of system vs application software, let’s look at some real-world examples of how they work together to perform common computing tasks.
Booting Up
When a computer first turns on, the operating system (system software) takes control and begins initializing the hardware and loading device drivers. The OS does not directly interact with the user yet. Its core job is getting the computer system ready for operation.
Once initialization is complete, the OS loads the graphical user interface which is considered application software. This provides the desktop, icons, Start menu, etc. that the user sees and interacts with. After boot, the OS continues running in the background managing resources while the user launches additional application software programs on the ready OS platform.
Writing a Document
When a user launches Microsoft Word (application software), it utilizes resources provided by the operating system to open the application code and create the Word interface on screen. Word does not directly access the display hardware – it goes through the OS APIs. In the background, the OS continues managing low-level tasks like CPU scheduling and memory allocation while Word adds its own application functionality.
Word leverages the underlying system layers to accept user input and display the document on screen. Functions like saving the document rely on the OS to interface with the storage hardware. The user only interacts with Word directly for writing – the underlying system software remains invisible.
Streaming a Video
Playing a video demonstrates how system software and application software hand off tasks at different levels. The OS reserves memory, schedules processes, and initializes the graphics and audio devices in the hardware. A video player application like VLC is then launched by the user.
VLC uses the initialized hardware via OS interfaces to decode the video file and render frames. The OS handles buffering the frames and sending them to the graphics card’s driver (more system software). The graphics driver tells the GPU how to process and display the decoded frames on the monitor. VLC leverages the low-level software layers to handle playback while providing high-level controls like pause and volume to the user.
System software and application software work together to deliver the functionality users expect from their computers. System software operates at the lowest level, interfacing directly with hardware and providing an abstracted platform for high-level application software. Application software in turn focuses entirely on implementing specialized user-facing functionality on top of the foundations provided by the system.
Understanding this division of roles is key to designing effective software. System software prioritizes stability and performance since it controls vital system resources. Application software adds innovative features and custom interfaces optimized for user tasks. Both are essential for taking advantage of everything modern computers have to offer.
System Software vs Application Software – Comparative Analysis
As discussed earlier, there are various points of difference between a system and application software. The same has been given in a tabulated manner below for an easy and better understanding of the two.
| Difference Between System Software and Application Software | |
| System Software | Application Software |
| This acts as an interface between the system and the applications | This is designed directly from the user perspective |
| It is the platform that allows the various application software to run on the system | These are independent applications which can be download and installed in the system |
| System Software is generally developed in low-level languages. This is so that the interaction between the software and hardware can be simplified and made more compatible | Each application has a specific purpose and thus is developed with high-level languages so that the purpose can be fulfilled |
| Is working is more automated. Once a system is turned on, the system software starts working | User action is required to start application software. These applications can only be work when the user commands the system to do so |
| These are responsible for the working of the system | They have minimum involvement in the processing and functioning of the computer device |
| The system software are installed at the time of installing the operating system. A computer device cannot work without its presence | The application software can be installed as and when the user requires them |
| It is an independent software. Once this is installed the computer will work | This is a dependent software. Applications can only be downloaded when the operating system is installed |
| Since a device cannot work without a system software, the user has to have it installed in their devices | These are designed to be user interactive, thus the application software can be removed as and when required by the user |
| Example for System Software includes Android, Mac Operating system, MS Windows, etc. | Examples of Application Software includes Word Processor, games, media player, etc. |
The above-mentioned differences clarify the fact that one software is pre-installed while the other can be installed as per the user requirements.
Since Computer is included in the Science and Technology part of the IAS syllabus, candidates can visit the UPSC MCQ – Science and Technology page to get sample questions for the same.
There are various other computer-related terms and applications which may seem similar but are different from each other. Given below are links to such difference between articles which will prove to be helpful for competitive exam aspirants:
To get over 100 difference between articles from various subjects for the upcoming UPSC exam preparation, candidates can visit the linked article.
Difference Between System Software and Application Software PDF:-Download PDF Here
Frequently Asked Questions on Difference Between Application and System SoftwareQ1
Ans. Given below are the functions of Application software:
- managing information
- manipulating data
- constructing visuals
- coordinating resources
- calculating figures
Q4
Differences between System Software and Application Software
What is the difference between application software and operating system?
The various Operating systems are the best example as it allows the user to download and work with various applications on their device. On the other hand, Application Software is designed for users. The applications can be added to system software. For example, Notepad is an application of MS Windows, which is system software.
What is application software?
A set of computer programs installed in the user’s system and designed to perform a specific task is known as application software. A system software operates the system in the background until the shutdown of the computer. Application software runs in the front end according to the user’s request.
What is system software?
System Software is the type of software that is the interface between application software and the system. Low-level languages are used to write the system software. System Software maintains the system resources and gives the path for application software to run. An important thing is that without system software, the system can not run.
What is system software & application software?
The Software that is designed to control, integrate and manage the individual hardware components and application software is known as system software. A set of computer programs installed in the user’s system and designed to perform a specific task is known as application software.
