Services of Operating System
An operating system (OS) provides
several essential services to both the user and the applications running on a
system. Here are some of the key services provided by an operating system:
- Process Management: The OS is responsible
for managing all the processes running on the system. This includes
scheduling processes, allocating resources to them, monitoring their
execution, and handling process communication and synchronization.
- Memory Management: The OS is responsible for
managing the system's memory. This includes keeping track of each byte in
a system's memory and which processes are using which memory, allocating
memory to processes when they need it, and freeing it for use when they
don't.
- File Management: The OS manages files and
directories on the computer. It keeps track of which regions of the disk
are free, which are reserved, and manages access to them. It also provides
a filing system to store, retrieve, organize, and manipulate data.
- Device Management: The OS manages device
communication via their respective drivers. It translates user input into
device instructions and also controls peripheral devices like disk drives,
printers, displays, etc.
- Security and Access Control: The OS provides
mechanisms to protect data and system resources from accidental or
malicious interference. This includes user authentication, authorization,
logging, and access control lists.
- Error Detection and Recovery: The OS
continually checks for possible errors. This could be internal (like a
memory leak) or external (like a failure of an I/O device). It takes
appropriate action when an error occurs, such as recording the error,
notifying the user, or restarting the system.
- User Interface: Every OS provides some kind
of user interface. This could be a command line interface (CLI), graphical
user interface (GUI), or both.
- Resource Allocation: When there are multiple
users or multiple jobs running at the same time, the OS manages the
allocation of system resources such as CPU cycles, main memory, and I/O
devices to these users or jobs.
- Inter-process Communication: The OS provides
mechanisms for processes to communicate with each other and synchronize
their actions.
These are some of the most common
services provided by operating systems. The exact services can vary based on
the design and purpose of the specific operating system.
Tags:
22516 Operating System