Functions of Operating System

Functions of Operating System

User’s Friendly Interface:Operating system are designed and developed to optimize the man-machine capabilities. All its services intend to reduce the user’s programming burden. The user need not write a complex set of commands to perform every task. User interacts with the computer through operating system.

Resource Manager: An Operating system manages the resources of a computer system such as memory, CPU, file system and I/O devices etc. in order to attain an increased efficiency of a computer system. Thus, as a Resource Manager the four major functions of the operating system are:

o Memory Management

o Processor Management

o Input/Output and Peripheral 

        Management

o File and Software Management

Interrupt Handling:An Interrupt is a hardware/software generated change of flow within a system. The Operating system directs an interrupt service routine and determines what action is to be taken.

Protection: Operating system keeps safe the important information for future and current use as well as protects from unauthorized access.

Communication: Operating system allows different running processes to communicate and handles deadlock situations.

Secondary Storage Management: Besides managing the main memory, operating system also performs the typical task of disk management.