What are the main functions of an operating system?

Operating System Questions



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What are the main functions of an operating system?

The main functions of an operating system are:

1. Process management: It manages and controls the execution of processes, allocating system resources, scheduling tasks, and ensuring efficient utilization of the CPU.

2. Memory management: It handles the allocation and deallocation of memory resources to processes, ensuring efficient utilization and protection of memory space.

3. File system management: It provides a hierarchical structure for organizing and storing files, managing file access, and ensuring data integrity and security.

4. Device management: It controls and coordinates the interaction between the computer system and its peripheral devices, managing device drivers, and handling input/output operations.

5. User interface: It provides a means for users to interact with the computer system, offering command-line or graphical interfaces for executing commands and accessing system resources.

6. Security management: It ensures the protection of system resources and data from unauthorized access, implementing user authentication, access control, and encryption mechanisms.

7. Error handling: It detects and handles errors and exceptions that occur during system operation, providing error messages, logging, and recovery mechanisms to maintain system stability and reliability.

8. Networking: It facilitates communication and data exchange between different computers and devices, managing network protocols, connections, and providing network services.

Overall, the operating system acts as an intermediary between the hardware and software components of a computer system, providing a stable and efficient environment for running applications and managing system resources.