DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN SYSTEM AND APPLICATION

SOFTWARES. EXPLAIN THEIR FUNCTIONS, PROVIDE

EXAMPLES AND ANALYZE HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER

TO OPERATE AS COMPUTER SYSTEM.

CITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION MARARABA, NASARAWA

STATE IN AFFILIATION WITH

ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY, AKUNGBA, ONDO STATE

DEPARTMENT: COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION , 100

LEVEL

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PROJECT ASSESSMENT ON INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER

SCIENCE (CSC 101)

BY

ABDULLAHI HABIBA

SUBMITTED TO: Mr. OBOH ENDURANCE

July, 2025

Introduction

Software forms the core of all computer operations, broadly categorized

into two types: system software and application software. In computer

science, Software refers to programs, data, and instructions that enable

computers to perform tasks (Brookshear & Brylow, 2023). Unlike

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hardware, software is intangible and governs computational operations.

Understanding the differences between them, their individual roles, and

their interaction is critical to appreciating how computer systems function

effectively.

System Software

System software is a type of computer program designed to manage and

control the hardware and basic system operations of a computer. It serves

as a bridge between the physical hardware of a computer and the user or

application programs, enabling everything to function smoothly and

efficiently. System software is designed to manage hardware components

and provide a platform for running application software. It serves as an

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intermediary between the user and the hardware (Stallings, 2018).

Functions of System Software

- Operating system management (e.g., memory, processes, storage)

- Hardware device coordination

- System security and access control

- Resource allocation and multitasking

Examples of System Software

- Operating Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux

- Device Drivers: Printer drivers, display adapters

- Utility Programs: Disk defragmenters, antivirus software

- Firmware: BIOS, UEFI (used during booting)

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Application Software

Application software is a type of computer program designed to help

users perform specific tasks or functions on a computer or mobile device.

Unlike system software, which operates in the background to manage

hardware, application software is user-focused and directly supports

productivity, creativity, communication, or entertainment. Application

software is created to help users perform specific tasks or functions.

Unlike system software, which runs in the background, application

software is typically interacted with directly by the user( Pressman, 2014)

Functions of Application Software

- Word processing, data analysis, presentations

- Communication (email clients, messaging apps)

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- Media consumption and creation

- Web browsing, education, gaming, and more

Examples of Application Software

- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

- Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox

- Adobe Photoshop, VLC Media Player

- AutoCAD, Zoom, WhatsApp Desktop

Key Differences Between System and Application Software

Time of execution:

System software is typically loaded into the computer's memory during

the computer's startup process. Once the computer's system software has

loaded into memory, it runs in the background until you shut down your
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computer. Application software loads into memory and executes at the

user's request.

User input:

The system software works in the background so the users don't interact

with it. The user has complete control over the application software. They

decide how to use it, when and for how long. This is an essential aspect

of application software because it allows users to customise the

experience to their specific needs (Shelly & Vermaat, 2012)

Language level:

Low-level language is the programming language used to write system

software programs and it's the only language that computers understand.

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Popular ones include assembly language and machine code. You write

application software in a high-level programming language because it's

user-friendly. High-level programming languages are portable, meaning

they run on different types of computers. These languages are close to

human languages and offer a higher level of abstraction than lower-level

languages.

Installation purpose:

System software usually is for general purposes. System software

includes the operating system and the utilities that manage computer

resources and provides common services for computer programs.

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Application software is usually created to do one thing or a few related

things.

Operation:

System software runs behind the scenes, so users aren't usually aware of

it. It's responsible for basic operations such as transferring data between

memory and storage devices, managing input and output devices and

managing network communications. Application software typically runs

in the front end. It's responsible for the graphical user interface that a user

interacts with. This software is what allows a user to perform tasks, such

as creating documents or browsing the web.

The complexity of the system

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System software is usually more challenging to program because it needs

to interact with the hardware and other software to work. This means

system software developers understand how the hardware and other

software work to create programs that work correctly. Application

software is typically more focused on one task, so it can be simpler to

program (Silberschatz, etal, 2018).

Summary of the Differences

Purpose: System software manages hardware and system resources;

application software is designed for user-specific tasks.

User Interaction: System software runs in the background; application

software is user-interactive.

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Dependency: Application software depends on system software to

function, while system software runs independently.

Installation Time: System software is typically pre-installed; application

software is installed as needed.

How System and Application Software Work Together

System and application software are interdependent components of a

functioning computer system. The operating system (system software)

provides APIs, memory management, and process scheduling that allow

application software to run. For example, when a user opens a web

browser, the operating system allocates memory, interacts with the

network driver, and manages display outputs. In this sense, system

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software acts as a foundation that enables application software to operate

in harmony with hardware (Shelly & Vermaat, 2012)

Moreover, modern computing environments (like smartphones and cloud

platforms) depend on this collaboration. Android, for instance, acts as

system software, while apps like WhatsApp and Google Maps are

application software relying on Android’s services for access to sensors,

GPS, and communication modules (Tanenbaum & Bos, 2015).

Conclusion

System and application software are essential to modern computing.

While their roles differ—system software managing core operations and

application software serving user needs—their collaboration is vital.

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Understanding their distinctions and interactions provides insight into

how digital tools support everyday activities, business operations, and

emerging technologies.

References

 Brookshear, J. G., & Brylow, D. (2023). *Computer science: An

overview* (14th ed.). Pearson.

 Stallings, W. (2018). Operating Systems: Internals and Design

Principles (9th ed.). Pearson.

 Tanenbaum, A. S., & Bos, H. (2015). Modern Operating Systems (4th

ed.). Pearson.

 Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P. B., & Gagne, G. (2018). Operating System

Concepts (10th ed.). Wiley.

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 Pressman, R. S. (2014). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's

Approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

 Shelly, G. B., & Vermaat, M. E. (2012). Discovering Computers

2012: Complete. Cengage Learning.

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