Title: What is an Operating System?
Course: CIS 121: Linux/UNIX I: Fundamentals ~ For IGNITE Review > Section: Learning Modules

Operating System Definition

An operating system is a basic computer program which allows the features of the hardware to be accessible to application programs.

It is concerned with:

- Memory management (giving the application programs the amount of memory they need and collecting it back when they do not need it anymore)
- Process management (several programs or background operations running at the same time)
- Running device drivers (network, screen, storage, media, keyboard)
- Managing the file system

Source: Hirzel, H. (2011, January 21). Operating System. Retrieved from the Connexions Web site: http://cnx.org/content/m34126/1.12/