3 Types of Software You Should Know

Software is a set of commands, data, or programs used to operate computers and run specific tasks. Some examples include notepad, spreadsheets, web browsers, and Gmail.

Today’s businesses are using more and more software to complete their daily tasks easily. There are many different types of software, including System software, Application software, and middleware software. These different types are designed to solve different problems for businesses, such as running databases or compiling code.

Software can be installed on a computer in a variety of ways, such as CD-ROM, USB drive, or the internet. The software itself can be stored on a physical disc or downloaded electronically. The most common way that people download it is by using a web browser. This allows a user to browse the web for files to download and install on the computer.

Table of Contents

What Is Software?

What is software? Software is a program that runs on a computer. There are different kinds of software that help do many different things. Some software is just for entertainment, like video games and music players; others help a computer operate, like an operating system.

Read: What Is a Computer

How does it work?

All software gives the instructions and information computers need to work and meet users’ needs. However, the 2 specific types are application software and system software which work in relatively specific ways

Types Of Softwares :

Among the various categories of software, the most common types include the following:

Application software.

An application software is a program that is designed and developed for specific purposes and for a special task that is directly used by the users. Software that meets this definition is known as application software, or simply as an app for short. The category of applications can be further divided into different categories depending on the nature of the application like graphics applications, database applications, office suites, etc. Some of the examples of application software are Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, etc.

Examples Of Application Software: Microsoft Office, VLC media player, Google Chrome, Photo Editor, Mobile Apps such as video games, WhatsApp, etc.

System software.

System software is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer’s hardware and provides a platform for applications to run on top of. System software includes operating systems, which are the most common type of system software. Operating systems are typically an abstraction layer, meaning that they provide an interface between the hardware and the user.

Examples Of System Software: Windows Operating System, Mac Operating System, Android, IOS, Playstation System Software, etc.

Also Read: What is Front-End Development

Driver software.

Driver software is a type of software that has been designed to allow a computer to control various devices that are connected to it. It is used for both input and output devices. Driver software can be categorized by the type of device it controls, such as a printer driver, scanner driver, joystick driver, mouse driver, keyboard driver, or video card driver.

Examples Of Driver Software are printer drivers, Mouse drivers, Keyboard drivers, CD/DVD drivers, Graphic card drivers, Ports drivers, etc.
Middleware.

Middleware is software that acts as an intermediary between different systems. It enables these systems to communicate with each other and exchange data. Middleware can be used to connect multiple databases, process messages, and manage transactions.
Middleware can also be used for other purposes such as providing an interface for web applications or enabling two different computer programs to exchange information.

Examples Of System Software are database Middleware, Application Server Middleware, Message-Oriented Middleware, Web Middleware, Transaction Processing Monitors, etc.

Programming software.

Programming software, or software development tools, are used to create the code that is programmed into a computer. There are many different types of programming languages and software tools that can be used to create these codes.
There are many different types of programming languages and software tools that can be used to create these codes. The most popular programming language is C++, which is a general-purpose programming language. It is often used for building operating systems, drivers, and other low-level programs that require high performance or interact with hardware.

Examples Of System Software: Android Studio, Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio IDE, Notepad++, Sublime Text, Atom, etc

Among all the types these are the main categories of software Application software and System software.