What is Operating Systems (OS) - Types, Functions, and Examples
Today, we are all living in the digital world, where electronic devices have become an important part of our day-to-day life. All of these devices, including computers, smartphones, tablets, and motor vehicles run on operating systems. These devices perform the actions as instructed by a user but the brain or soul of all these devices is the operating system.
An operating system acts as an interface between humans and electronic gadgets. It decodes input or query by a person and reflects the desired output. The operating system remains a rock-solid foundation and support for modern information technology.
In this guide, we’re going to talk about what is an operating system in a computer and its types, the history of OS, and the functions of an operating system. We’ll also discuss the different types of operating systems and free resources to learn about operating systems.
Must Explore – Operating System Courses
What is an Operating System?
An operating system (OS) is software that runs on your computer. It is responsible for managing software applications programs and computer hardware resources. It acts as a bridge between hardware, software, and the user for easy interaction to complete the task effectively. It allows you to communicate with the computer without knowing the machine language.
In the last three decades, computers have been one of the most successful inventions that help in solving problems in human life. Computing devices and their uses have grown rapidly and widely throughout the world. The applications and influence of computing devices can be seen in various sectors, including education, healthcare, transportation, and communication sector. In this modern world, it is difficult to survive a business without adopting computer usage either directly or indirectly.
An understanding of operating systems is essential for those who build operating systems as well as those who build the applications that run on them. That is why questions about how operating systems work are asked by many tech companies in their technical interviews.
Preparing for a Linux interview? Check out the Top Linux Interview Questions and Answers.
Best-suited Operating Systems courses for you
Learn Operating Systems with these high-rated online courses
Why Learn Operating Systems?
Troubleshooting and identifying issues with an operating system are essential for many IT professional companies and can be a valuable skill for anyone in the tech sector. Furthermore, knowing operating systems and how to use them can give you an edge in the competitive field of software development and engineering. Learning operating systems can help you stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving technological world.
Applications of Operating System
- Desktop Operating systems: These are designed for use on personal computers. They contain all the utilities and applications that the users might need. They are usually updated with the latest software versions to provide a better user experience.
- Mobile Operating systems: These are designed for use on cellular phones and other portable devices. They contain only the essential software and minimalistic utilities. The advantage of using a mobile OS is that it is easier to update and maintain.
Server Operating systems are updated with the latest software versions, versioning to support multiple users, and security features. They run applications such as email servers, file sharing servers, and web servers.
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Why use Operating Syst
- Operating systems provide a platform on which the users can carry out their various activities.
- Operating systems are essential for the security and stability of the computer. They contain the latest security patches and updates to protect the computer from malicious threats.
- For executing the programs
- Without an operating system, you can’t access hardware.
- Error Detection and Handling
- Keeping account of the functionality happening in the computer system.
Also explore Types of the operating system.
What does an Operating System do?
The operating system of a computing device helps it run different applications. Many times, several different programs run simultaneously on your device and they all need to access your computer's central processing unit (CPU), memory, and storage. The operating system coordinates all of this to make sure each program runs properly.
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Types of Operating Systems (OS)
The table below lists the different types of operating systems that are commonly used.
| Operating System |
Description |
|---|---|
| Batch operating system |
Jobs with similar types of needs are batched together and run as a group on a computer without manual interventions. |
| Time-sharing operating system |
Many users share the computer resources at the same time. The processor time (CPU) is shared among multiple users. |
| Distributed operating system |
Uses many processors located in different machines to provide very fast computation. |
| Network operating system |
Allows to connect and communicate various autonomous computers over a network. |
| Real-time operating system |
It is used for real-time application that process data as it comes in, without buffer delay. |
| Mobile operating system
|
Designed for smartphones, tablets, and wearables devices. |
Examples of Operating Systems
- Microsoft Windows – GUI based OS for Personal Computers.
- Apple macOS – for Apple’s personal computers and workstations.
- Google's Android OS – for smartphones/tablets/smartwatches.
- Apple iOS – for Apple’s for iPhones, iPads, and iPods.
- Linux Operating System – for Personal Computers, Workstations.
Operating System Projects
- Trying shell scripting and performing CRUD operations on data like.
- Prepare a menu with options (for 1 do this, for 2 do this)
- Fetch the whole data of a file.
- Update a particular row in the file.
- Delete a specific row, then change the id.
- Fetch particular rows.
- Insert at a particular location.
- Write a Device Driver for some device, e.g. something on an Arduino board.
- Write a File System
- Write a Web Server: which can be multithreaded. For example, one thread can always catch the server requests, creating other threads that process these requests.
- Creating mini wrapper applications for the already existing popular applications for Windows and macOS.
Top Companies Hiring Operating System Engineers
- Northrop Grumman
- Lockheed Martin
- Boeing, Honeywell
- Raytheon Technologies
- Intel Corporation
Top course providers for operating system courses
Many course providers offer Operating System courses. Some of the top course providers include
These course providers offer a wide range of courses, from introductory to advanced-level. Each of these course providers has its unique teaching approach, so it is important to research each provider to find the one that best fits your learning style and goals. With the wide range of courses available, you can find the one that best fits your needs and goals.
Top industries relying on operating system
Many industries increasingly rely on Linux system administration due to its cost-effectiveness and wide range of features.
- Finance
- Insurance
- healthcare
- Other industries like, Government, education, and military
Are among the most prominent sectors that are using Linux variants for their operations.
Popular Tools to Develop your own Operating System
- Fling-It is an open-source CLI tool designed specifically for managing Windows installations. Fling helps in controlling the use of disk space.It help in controlling the use of memory and CPU resources.
- Cosmos-It is a remote administration tool that allows administrators to manage servers from a remote location using commands on the client-side. It is used to monitor and control the activities of the users.
- SharpOS- It helps users identify file types and extract information from them without knowing or remembering how each program works. It helps control the activities of applications.
- Singularity-It helps in controlling the activities of files. These tools are used to manage the activities of the applications and the files in the system.
- MOSA or Managed Operating System Alliance Project-
It is a collaborative project that was launched in 2015. The project aims to create a single management interface for various operating system tools. The project aims to make the task of system administrators easier.
Also Read: Top Unix Interview Questions and Answers
Best-rated Operating Systems for Business Solutions
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Ubuntu Linux
- Unix(AIX series)
- Windows 10
- Windows 8.1
According to the usage share of operating systems, Android is the world's most-used operating system, with 42% of the global market, followed by Windows with 30%, Apple iOS with 18%, macOS with 6%, then (desktop) Linux at 1.0%. Smartphones are the most used device in most countries, with PCs running Windows at 46% in the US. Linux has also been dominating the supercomputer field since 2017, with all of the top 500 most powerful supercomputers running a Linux distribution.
Career growth
The growth structure for operating system engineers starts with entry-level positions and includes intermediate, senior, and leadership positions.
Entry Level
One must have experience in programming, debugging, and operating system engineering. Additionally, the engineer should be familiar with developing applications, system operations, and computer networking.
Intermediate Level
At the intermediate level, engineers may design and maintain computer systems, write and test code, and develop networks.
Senior Level
Senior engineers are typically tasked with overseeing projects, leading teams, and developing strategies for improving efficiency.
Lead engineers manage all aspects of the development process, from designing and testing systems to implementing and maintaining them.
Conclusion
Operating systems play a crucial role in modern computing devices. Without an operating system, a computer would be useless as it would not be able to send instructions to its underlying hardware.
A basic understanding of the operating system can help you in dealing with day-to-day challenges in the IT field. Furthermore, for those aspiring to start a career in computer science, knowledge of operating systems would be one of the first steps if you land a job in a top tech company.
We hope the best operating system courses in this guide will help you get started on your learning and career journey.
Hello, world! I'm Esha Gupta, your go-to Technical Content Developer focusing on Java, Data Structures and Algorithms, and Front End Development. Alongside these specialities, I have a zest for immersing myself in v... Read Full Bio
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