Software and its Types

Introduction

A program is an executable code which is a set of instructions that serves a computational purpose. Software is a program or group that tells the hardware what to do. Software is more than just a program. Software is considered a combination of these executable programs, associated files or libraries, and their documentation. When the software is made to fulfil a specific purpose, they are called software products.

On the other hand, engineering is about developing products based on well-established scientific principles.

Software engineering deals with software development and its product using well-established scientific rules, methods, and principles, which resulted in an efficient and reliable software product as its outcome.

Software’s are extensively used in the IT industry, but now they have a massive market in other sectors like banking, hospitals, schools, stock markets, etc. Based on their applications, the software can be classified into different types:-   

Also Read, prototype model in software engineering

1. System Software 
   System Software is a collection of programs that helps to provide services to other programs. Infrastructure software like compilers, drivers, editors, and operating systems comes under the system software category. Suppose a computer system is considered a layered structure; system software interfaces between user and hardware. They help us to manage the computer system itself.
    
2. Real-Time Software 
   Real-time software is used to maintain real-time applications. They help control,    monitor, and analyze real-world events as they occur. This software allows us to gather real-time data and process these data to provide a valuable output. One usage of this software is in the meteorological department for weather forecasting. It collects live data of temperature, humidity, and several other environmental parameters and processes them to forecast the weather.
    
3. Embedded Software 
   Embedded software is embedded in the Read-Only Memory of the product and controls the products' various functions. These products could be aircraft, automobiles, signalling systems, security systems, and control units of power plants. This software is designed for a specific purpose to increase the functionality and reliability for achieving a particular task. This software comes less in contact with the user and more with the products' hardware.
    
4. Business Software 
   Significant applications of software are in  Business applications. Their usage in business applications is the largest application area. Inventory management, Account management-employee management, payroll management, file monitoring system, enterprise resources planning (ERP) are famous examples of some business software. This software helps to process business applications and uses data warehousing tools to make business decisions based on available data.
    
5. Personal Computer Software
   Software used in personal computers comes under this category. This software includes word processors, computer graphics, games, animating tools, photoshop, multimedia, video editing tools, etc. It is one of the very upcoming areas and has a vast potential market. As a result, many big organizations have started developing personal computer software. 
    
6. Artificial Intelligence Software
   Artificial Intelligence Software mimics human behaviour based on various data patterns and insights. They use non-numerical algorithms to solve complex problems that are not solvable using straightforward analysis. Software like a virtual assistant, expert, pattern recognition, voice recognition, artificial neural network, and processing tools come under the Artificial intelligence Software category.
    
7. Scientific Software 
   Software that serves the purpose of scientists and engineers to perform a specific task by an empirical, scientific approach to find an efficient solution that solves the practical problems. This software is developed for specific scientific applications, e.g., MATLAB, ORCAD, AUTOCAD comes under this category.
    
8. Networking and Web Applications
   Required Support needed by the computer to interact with each other is provided by Networking and Web Applications Software. This software is used when the computers are interconnected. Network management software, server software, encryption software, and software to develop web applications like HTML PHP comes under this category.
    

I hope this blog has helped you enhance your knowledge regarding software engineering and all the different kinds of software that revolve around us. Do upvote our blog to help other ninjas grow. Happy Coding!
 

Also read,  V Model in Software Engineering

FAQ’s

1. Why is a program not called software?
   Program is just one part of the software. A software combines these programs, associated files or libraries, and documentation. When this software is made to fulfil a specific purpose, they are called software products.
2. Which type of software works as an interface between hardware and user?
   System software works as an interface between the user and the computer hardware. System Software is a collection of programs that helps to provide services to other programs. Infrastructure software like compilers, drivers, editors, and operating systems comes under the system software category.
3. Why is Embedded software embedded in Read-only memory?
   Embedded software is embedded in the Read-Only Memory of the product to control the products' various functions. This software is designed for a specific purpose to increase the functionality and reliability for achieving a particular task.