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Hardware and software key terms
Study Hardware and software with curriculum-aligned Key Terms resources, practice links, and exam-focused support.
At a glance
key terms
Resource type
Topic
Hardware and software
Key terms
Hardware
The physical parts of a computer system.
Software
The instructions and programs used by a computer system.
System software
Software that supports the operation of a computer system.
Application software
Software designed to enable a user to perform a particular task.
Translator
System software that converts source code from one programming language or representation into machine code or another executable form.
Operating system
System software that manages computer hardware resources and provides services and an interface for application software.
Operating system
Software that hides the complexities of hardware and manages hardware resources for processes.
Resource management
The allocation of processors, memories and I/O devices among processes that compete for them.
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