Category

Description

System Software

System software consists of a

group of programs that control
the operation of a computers
equipment

Application Software

A computer program designed to

perform a group of coordinated
functions, tasks, or activities for
the benefit of the user.

Open Source Software

Refers to software for which the

source code is available to the
general public for use in certain
ways

Machine Language

Native language directly

understood by computers central
processing unit

Assembly Level Language

Low-level programming language

that uses word-based commands

High Level Language

Most user-friendly and similar to

English, with words and symbols

Compiled Language

High-level language that processes

coded statements with a complier
program and converts them into
machine language instructions

Purpose
Runs the computer, managing
resources: memory,
processes, etc. and acts as the
management layer between
the user and the computer,
other software and the
computer, and other software
with other software. Also
supports the computers
infrastructure.

Performs a specific set of

useful tasks for the user.
Application software is able
to manipulate text, numbers,
and graphics. Application
software is specific to the task
it is designed for.

Open source is typically

created as a collaborative
effort in which programmers
improve upon the code and
share the changes within the
community
These are essentially binary
numbers representing the
actions a CPU can perform
Most appropriate for writing
system software. Commands
usually correspond directly to
machine language
instructions
Programs written in high-level
language can potentially be
translated into many machine
languages. Can run on and
computer with the
appropriate translator
The compiler does this is in
advance of executing the
compiled program. Compiled
software generally runs
faster, but only works on one
type on machine (unless its
re-compiled)

Specific Example

Operating Systems
(Microsoft Windows)
Utility Systems (Norton)

Word Processing
Software (Microsoft
Word)
Spreadsheet Software
(Microsoft Excel)
Database Software
(Microsoft Access)
Presentation Software
(Microsoft PowerPoint)
Multimedia Software
(Real Player)
Enterprise Software
(CRM)

Linux
Apache
CentOS
Fedora
Tomcat
N/A

N/A

Python
Visual
PHP
Ruby

C++
Swift
Delphi

Interpreted Language

High-level language is processed

with an interpreter program that
translates statements into direct
actions to perform, or for some
languages, directly into an
intermediate language for the
interpreter

Does not translate statements

to CPU machine code. This
intermediate code is harder
for humans to read but allows
more efficiently execution.
Software is generally more
portable, but does not run as
fast

Java
Lisp
Python