An operating system is a low-level software that the computer needs for the execution of its essential functions. This software makes sure that there is a suitable integration of both software and hardware with respect to the other components. Microsoft Windows is the most common operating system boasting over 70% of users, trailed behind by macOS and Linux.

Mobile phones also use operating systems, particularly smartphones. A large percentage depends on the android operating system with the ios trailing closely with the Windows operating program. If you are computing professional or just an enthusiast, you sure have wondered how this computer programs work.

To understand how it works, you need to know of its components looking at how they were brought together to achieve its functionality. With this knowledge, you can better understand how the computer program works and even how you can optimize its functionality.

Types Of Operating Systems

There are several types of operating software with the distinguishing factor being the number of users where there are a single user and the multi-user. Another factor is the number of tasks where you find the single-task software and the multi-task operating systems. Additionally, there is also the embedded OS, template and distributed systems.

History Of The Operating System

The early computers lacked an operating system. As each computer performed a specific function, it would be upon the user to feed the set instructions befitting the task at hand. The work description at his early times was to put a suitable program into the mainframe and be patient until the task was accomplished or the computer crashed. Either of the two was an expectation.

Symbolic languages existed at this time to translate the symbolic program code into machine code for the computer to run.

With an aim at computers being more powerful and multi-task oriented laid the foundation for the first operating system. The first OS came through in 1956 courtesy of general motors and was for the powerful mainframes of that period. The operating software were diverse, with more productions aimed at one computer. They varied according to commands and operating models, and each time a new model would be manufactured, a new operating system came into play with some slight manual adjustments.

The foundation of the modern operating system came up in the early 1970s for home computers and for the video games that were slowly becoming a hit. Following closely was the ground for mobile operating systems, such as the android.

Operating System Components

The operating systems have several components which together allow it to perform its functions. Its components include the kernel which provides the necessary level of control of the operating software in terms of hardware management and coordination. Here is also the program execution which provides an interface for the interaction of an application program and hardware.

Interrupts are another component that allows the software to react and interact with their environment. Modes support different models of operation of the computer while memory management is in charge of all aspects of the system memory.

The Kernel

You can consider the kernel to be the essential component of the operating system. It has control over everything in the system ad handles urgent requests from software in addition to memory management and interaction to the peripheral system.

If you are a programmer, you need to appreciate the kernel as one of the major components you need to be good at when designing an operating system. When designing the OS, you need to pick out a suitable coding language. In this case, a worthy pick is the c++ language owing to its versatility.

You start by creating a fileboot with the right codes in a script then a file, the kernel.cpp also with the right script. Create a linker script then finalize with compilation. It is a quite tedious procedure that needs you to be well accustomed with the OS function as well as the c++ coding language.

When coding pay attention to the data structure, which is the organization of the essential coding algorithms. When designing an operating program, you can try out the c++ linked list. The linked list comes into play where you have a chain command and makes it easy for the coordination of instructions.

Summary

The operating system is a vital aspect of the computer that allows it to operate. It is the coordinating link which enables the interaction of hardware and software for the execution of the instructions. This software has come from far when the first mainframes did not use one to present where they are a central feature when you acquire one.

On the operating system, the kernel is the core component in charge of essential operations such as interaction and memory management. You can design it if you have a proper grasp on one of the many programming languages.