Operating systems are the software that runs in the background of computers. They manage hardware components like memory, file-systems, keyboards, printers and monitors. It also regulates access to the central processor unit, or CPU.
Multitasking is a method of operation that allows multiple programs to run simultaneously on an OS. This is because the OS allocates system resources to the program, including memory space and CPU during execution. It monitors the program’s usage of these resources and ensures that the program doesn’t interfere with other programs that are using the same resources.
Operating systems keep track of where files are stored and their status on the computer’s disk. They create a virtual directory structure and save the location of each file in addition to other metadata such as the date it was created or modified. Drivers let an application easily access the hardware of computers. These drivers translate hardware’s proprietary language into a standard one that operating systems be able to comprehend.
If an application needs to save a document it switches over to the kernel of the operating system. This is because the program can’t directly access the drive, which requires a driver in order to communicate with it. The operating system then creates and converts the request for files into a rational operation, and then the hardware is then used as instructed.