Operating System / OS

An operating system (OS) is the software that drives the hardware of an electronic device and receives instructions from the user or from other software.

In a computer, the OS manages the processor(s) and memory. It runs peripherals (keyboard, mouse, screen, hard drive, card reader…) and exposes a user interface (windows, file manager, etc.).

In a camera or a connected object, it plays the same role of interface between the hardware and the applications.

Well-known examples of OSes

For computers:
- Linux
- Windows (Microsoft)
- macOS (Apple)

For smartphones:
- iOS (Apple)
- Android (Google)

The OS is the interface between applications and hardware. If you compare a computer to the human body, hardware is the body and the OS is the brain: without a brain, the body is inert; without an OS, a computer is just plastic and metal.

Source: futura-sciences.com