Software Types
System software runs the machine; application software helps users.
About this topic
Software is the set of instructions that tells hardware what to do. System software, such as operating systems and drivers, runs the computer itself, while application software, such as browsers, games and word processors, helps users do tasks. Utility software handles maintenance like antivirus and backups, and programming tools like compilers help create other software.
Software can also be classified by how it is licensed and delivered: proprietary software is owned and sold by a company, open source software shares its code, freeware costs nothing, and web or cloud apps run on remote servers and are used through a browser. Firmware is software stored permanently on hardware, such as the code that starts a router or a washing machine.
For example, when you edit a photo, the editing app is application software, the OS manages its memory, a driver sends the picture to the printer, and an antivirus utility scans the saved file. Students often think apps and operating systems are the same, or that free means unsafe. In reality, categories overlap, and what matters is knowing which layer is responsible for a task when something goes wrong.
Key ideas
- Operating systems vs apps
- Open source vs proprietary
- Utilities
Quick check
Use cases: where Software Types helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Software Types before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Software Types without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Software Types changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Software Types in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Computing ideas run phones, search engines, games and the wider internet.
Frequently asked questions
What is Software Types?
System software runs the machine; application software helps users.
What will I learn in Software Types?
Operating systems vs apps. Open source vs proprietary. Utilities.
Is Software Types part of Computer Science?
Yes. It is one of 80 Computer Science topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Software Types lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Software Types?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.