Explore Hardware and Software: Types, Definitions, and Real-world Examples

In this write up we will explain What is Hardware and Software in computer?.

After going through this article you will be able to understand the types of computer hardware and software.

Difference between hardware and software. Usage and examples of Computer Software and Hardware, parts of the computer, etc.

A computer is divided into two categories, which are known as computer hardware and software.

Now let’s explore each one of them one by one to know the difference between computer hardware and software…

What is Computer Hardware?

Hardware in a computer is referred to physical components in a computer working together that we can see and touch.

Examples of Computer Hardware

Computer hardware consists of physical components in a computer and examples are as follows:-

• Input devices –Mouse, Keyboard, Touchpad, Scanners, Joystick, Webcam, etc.

• Output devices – Monitor, Printer, Headphones, Speakers, etc.

• Storage devices – Hard disk, DVD, etc.

• Internal components – Motherboard, CPU, RAM, etc.

What is Computer Software?

Software is a set of instructions that allows the hardware of the computer to perform a specific set of tasks and commands to receive desired output.

Computer software helps the computer hardware to perform the task using programs. It is generally a language that a computer understands.

In spite of being different from each other, we need both hardware and software to perform a specific task on the computer.

Examples of Computer Software

System software – Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista, compilers, translators, interpreters, etc.

Programming software – Android, Linux, C++, Java, Unix, etc.

Application software – Word processors, Database software, Multimedia software, Graphics software, etc.

Advantages of Computer Software

The main advantage of computer software is that it reduces the cost of manual effort.

Every software is designed for a specific use. Information can be saved and retrieved quickly using the software.

There are various types of software available in the market these days.

Computer software is immensely used in education, work, offices, entertainment, medicine, law, airlines, railways, and many other fields.

Not to forget computers and software have also introduced several harmful inventions like theft, hacking, and computer viruses.

Statistically looking at all the uses of software in the modern era, there are a lot of benefits in the way we communicate and transact business.

Types of Software and Hardware

We hope that you must have got a catch of the difference between the hardware and software components of the computer.

Furthermore, let’s dig deeper into the types of software and hardware to increase our understanding…

Types of Software in Computer

In the world of technology, we come across various software that helps us to make our lives easier and help our business grow.

Software plays a very important role in computer technology.

If there was no web browser software, we would not be able to access the internet on our computers.

System software

System software acts as a middle layer between the user and the computer.

They communicate with all the hardware components in the computer and also control the CPU, memory, and other devices.

When we switch on the computer the system software is the first application that gets initialized and hence it manages the entire computer system.

This system software is loaded in memory and keeps running in the background. Two main types of system software are the Operating system and utility software.

Utility software is installed with an operating system.

Both software is dependent on each other and does not work independently. Some of the utility software are compilers, editors, and drivers.

Programming software

This software is usually used by computer programmers. Most internet applications use Java or PHP as a programming language.

Using programming language all the software programs and applications are developed and tested.

Application software

Application software is generally used by end-users to perform any task.

MS Word or Powerpoint applications are designed for the user to write a document or prepare presentations.

The apps that we find on mobiles or tablets are all application software.

Software that is used in the banking domain, telephone, airline, railways, software industries, etc comes under application software.

Related post:- Difference between system software and application software

Also Read:- Types of Digital Computers

Types of Hardware in Computer

There are a lot of hardware devices available but we need to select the right device with the correct specification to get the best performance results.

All the devices vary in size, cost, and specification. We need to choose the compatible one.

Some of the different types of hardware are –

Input devices

With the help of these devices, data is provided to the computer. They feed the data such as text, images, and sound and help in file transfers between different devices and the computer.

Output devices

This is a device that converts information to a human-readable format.  These devices are normally used for display.

It extracts the information from the computer and displays it to the user. The monitor is the most prominent output device.

Storage devices

These are the devices that help to store the data and are further subdivided into primary and secondary memory.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is the primary memory and it retains data only when the computer is switched on.

All the instructions are read and executed from the memory through the central processing unit and accelerated processing unit.

Secondary memory does not directly communicate with the microprocessor. This type of memory is non-volatile and is subdivided into two categories. They are

Internal device – These devices are always placed on the computer. Eg – Hard disk

External devices – These are external devices that are connected to the computer using plug-and-play. Eg – An external hard disk

Internal components

These are the processing unit of the computer. They are generally called as brain of the computer.

They send signals to all the other parts of the computer, thus controlling the entire computer system.

This is usually termed CPU. (Central Processing Unit)  CPU consists of three components:-

• Memory or storage unit

• Control unit

• ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)

Why do we need software?

In this era of software technology, software is very useful and important in day-to-day life. Software is everywhere starting with TV, Mobile, Computers, Electrical appliances, Alarm clocks, etc.

Software applications are developed to enhance our life. We make use of it on websites, simulators, and electronic devices which helps us save time and money.

Who invented Software and Hardware?

Alan Turing is the first person who came up with the software theory. Charles Babbage is considered as ‘Father of the computer. In the 19^th century, he introduced the concept of programmable computers to the world.

Some of the software characteristics are as follows: –

• Maintainability
• Portability
• Functionality
• Efficient
• Usability
• Reliability

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FAQ on Computer Hardware and Software