An operating system is the software that runs behind-the-scenes on computers, governing many hardware components like memory, file systems, and input/output devices like keyboards, monitors printers, modems, etc. It also controls access to the central processor unit or CPU.
Multitasking is a term that allows multiple programs to run concurrently on an OS. This is because the OS allots system resources to a program, such as memory space and CPU during execution. It monitors how much memory and CPU time a program consumes and makes sure that it does not interfere with other programs using the same resources.
Operating systems also track the locations and status of the files on the computer’s hard drives. They create the virtual directory structure and save the locations of each file along with other metadata, like the date it was created or modified. Drivers allow applications to easily access the hardware of a computer. The drivers translate the hardware’s proprietary language into a common language that operating systems can be able to comprehend.
If an application is trying to save a document, it switches to the kernel of the operating system. This is because the application cannot directly connect to the disk drive and needs an interface driver to communicate with it. The operating system then creates and converts the request for files into a rational operation, and then the hardware is then used as instructed.