What is an operating system?

 

An Operating System (OS) is an interface that allows users to interact with a computer easily.

It efficiently manages limited memory and system resources.

A computer system consists of:

• Hardware
• Operating System (OS) to manage user programs
• CPU
• Memory

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Roles of the Operating System

1. CPU Scheduling and Process Management

• Manages which process gets CPU ownership
• Handles creation and deletion of processes
• Allocates and reclaims resources

2. Memory Management

• Allocates appropriate memory to processes from limited memory space

3. Disk File Management

• Manages how files are stored on disk
• Disk includes HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive)

4. I/O Device Management

• Controls data exchange between I/O devices (e.g. mouse, keyboard) and the computer