What is the difference between hardware and software

Curtis ida

28 Sep, 2021

What is the difference between hardware and software

What is hardware?

Hardware refers to the hardware components of a computer. These components are tangible. Hardware is also divided into input devices, output devices, secondary storage devices and internal components. Here is an explanation of these sections :

Input devices:

First, input devices are the components that send data to the computer, some examples are: a keyboard is a device that allows the user to enter input data, the layout of the keyboard is similar to a typewriter with additional keys, another the input device is the mouse, consisting of the left and right mouse buttons and a scroll wheel, it can not be used to enter text into a computer, depending on the movement of the mouse, the position of the cursor on the screen can be controlled. , stylus, scanner, microphone and barcode scanner are also examples of input devices.

Output devices:

Secondly, output devices are the devices that receive the data from the computer, it can be display devices, projection or any other means, here are some examples: A monitor is a visual display unit (VDU) that displays data or visual elements from the computer, the printer allows you to print the details on a sheet of paper, the latest printers are injection printers that are used to take multiple high quality prints.

Secondary Storage Devices:

Secondary storage devices are devices that store data until the data is deleted or bypassed, these devices store data permanently, so it is a non-volatile memory, in other words, turning off the device will not delete the data in secondary storage devices , hard disk, (CD, DVD), floppy disk, solid state drives are some examples of secondary storage devices.

Internal components:

More importantly, internal components are the elements that communicate directly with the main functions of the computer, CPU, RAM, ROM and motherboard are some examples, CPU is the main execution unit of the computer, it is divided into two parts: the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and the control unit (CU). The ALU performs arithmetic and logic operations, and the control unit (CU) carries control signals to operate other components.

Random Access Memory (RAM) means random access memory that stores data, programs and program results for the central processing unit to perform tasks, it is possible to perform read and write operations in RAM, the amount of RAM is an important factor in determining the performance of a computer.

It takes longer for the processor to access secondary storage such as the hard disk for all processes, therefore, RAM is used as primary storage, it is a volatile memory, therefore, it temporarily retains data, in other words, turning off the device will erase the existing data in RAM.

(ROM) stands for Read Only Memory, it is only possible to read from Read Only Memory, it is a non-volatile memory, so the data is permanent, it is the instructions needed to start the computer, in addition, the motherboard is a single platform, it connects the CPU Memory, hard drives and other ports via cables are the main hardware components of a computer.

What is software?

Software is a set of programs designed to do a task. Software consists of a series of instructions. and are two types of software: system software and application software.

System software:

System software operates, controls, and extends the processing power of a computer. This software is required to run hardware software and applications. It is the interface between the hardware and the end users. Usually, hardware manufacturers develop system software. Common programming languages for system software development are (C) and (C.++) and assembly language.

Some examples of system software are the operating system, compilers, assemblers, interpreters, and device drivers (device drivers), the operating system manages tasks, manages memory, manages files, manages devices, and more. into machine-understandable code, an assembler converts an assembly language program into machine code, and device drivers control and monitor the functions of specific devices such as printers.

Application software:

Application programs are designed to meet specific user needs, some application programs are as follows: Word documents to create documents Spreadsheet to keep financial details DBMS helps to maintain data in databases.

In addition, there is application software designed to take care of certain organizational tasks, business organizations use HRM to record employee details, school or university uses library management system to include records of new books, details, etc. Apart from these types, there is another type of programs called utility software. This type facilitates computer tasks. Some examples of utility programs are anti-virus software, file and disk management tools.

The difference between hardware and software:

The main difference between hardware and software is that hardware refers to the hardware of a computer, while software refers to a set of instructions given to a computer to perform a particular task.

Computer components are mainly divided into two parts, namely: hardware and software, hardware refers to the physical and tangible components of a computer, processor, motherboard, mouse, keyboard, printer and monitor are hardware components, on the other hand, software is a set of instructions to perform a specific task, software must be loaded into the hardware to perform a task. The software acts as an interface between the user and the machine. In short, both hardware and software are essential for the computer to produce useful output.

Hardware and software comparison

Software

Software is a set of instructions that tells a computer exactly what to do.

Developed and designed.

Software cannot be run without hardware.

We can also see and use software, but we can't actually touch it.

It is mainly divided into system software, programming software and application software.

Programs are affected by computer viruses.

But the programs can be transferred.

If the software is corrupted, its backup copy can be reinstalled.

Examples: (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Photoshop, MySQL), etc.

Hardware

Hardware is the physical parts of a computer that process data.

are manufactured.

Hardware cannot perform any task without software.

Since the devices are actual electronic devices, we can see and touch the devices.

There are four main types: input devices, output devices, storage and internal components.

The devices are not affected by computer viruses.

It cannot be moved electrically from one place to another via the network.

If the hardware is damaged, it is replaced with a new one.

Examples: keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, CPU, hard disk, RAM, ROM, etc.

What is the difference between hardware and software