Utility software helps to manage, maintain and control computer resources. Operating systems typically contain the necessary tools for this, but separate utility programs can provide improved functionality. Utility software is often somewhat technical and targeted at users with a solid knowledge of computers. If you use a computer mostly for e-mail, some Internet browsing and typing up a report, you may not have much need for these utilities. However, if you are an avid computer user, these utilities can help make sure your computer stays in tip-top shape.
Examples of utility programs are antivirus software, backup software and disk tools. Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.
Antivirus software, as the name suggests, helps to protect a computer system from viruses and other harmful programs. A computer virus is a computer program that can cause damage to a computer's software, hardware or data. It is referred to as a virus because it has the capability to replicate itself and hide inside other computer files.
One of the most common ways to get a virus is to download a file from the Internet. Antivirus software scans your online activity to make sure you are not downloading infected files. New viruses are coming out all the time, so antivirus software needs to be updated very frequently.
Backup software helps in the creation of a backup of the files on your computer. Most computer systems use a hard disk drive for storage. While these are generally very robust, they can fail or crash, resulting in costly data loss. Backup software helps you copy the most important files to another storage device, such as an external hard disk. You can also make an exact copy of your hard disk.
Increasingly, backup software uses cloud storage to create backups. This typically means you pay a fee to use the storage space of a third party and use their backup software to manage which files are going to be backed up.
Disk tools include a range of different tools to manage hard disk drives and other storage devices. This includes utilities to scan the hard disks for any potential problems, disk cleaners to remove any unnecessary files, and disk defragmenters to re-organize file fragments on a hard disk drive to increase performance. Disk tools are important because a failure of a hard disk drive can have disastrous consequences. Keeping disks running efficiently is an important part of overall computer maintenance.
Device Drivers
A device driver is a computer program that controls a particular device that is connected to your computer. Typical devices are keyboards, printers, scanners, digital cameras and external storage devices. Each of these need a driver in order to work properly.
Device drivers act as a translator between the operating system of the computer and the device connected to it. For many types of devices, the necessary drivers are built into the operating system. When you plug in a device, the operating system starts looking for the right driver, installs it and you are ready to start using the device. This is referred to as plug-and-play and is much preferred over having to manually install the correct drivers.
There are so many different devices, however, that not all of them are built into the operating system. As an alternative, the operating system can look online to find the right driver to install. Many hardware devices, however, come with the necessary drivers. For example, if you buy a printer, it may come with a CD that typically will include the correct driver. The advantage of this is that the hardware manufacturer can make sure you have the right driver for the printer.
The difference between device driver and application software lies in the difference between a driver and software. A driver is an intermediary between the operating system and the hardware device it is associated with. And software is a special computer program that makes the best use of the hardware in the best ways possible. In that context, application software are end-user programs designed for specific purposes. In fact, the term application software refers to all applications collectively.
What is Device Driver?
Device driver is a special type of software program which enables communication between the kernel of a computer and the different hardware. It enables a hardware device to communicate with the operating system of a computer. Without the necessary drivers, the computer won’t be able to send and receive data to the hardware devices. Device drivers have a special role in the operation system kernel. These are the software programs that make a particular piece of hardware respond to a well-defined internal programming interface; they hide completely the details of how the device actually works. They control a hardware part attached to a computer, allowing the computer to use the hardware through a suitable interface. A device driver simply acts as an intermediary between a hardware device and the operating system. So, the purpose of device drivers is to make sure the hardware functions and operates smoothly.
What is Application Software?
Application software is a computer software program or a group of programs designed to assist the end users with a particular process. It is a special computer program created for a specific purpose for the end user. The software other than the system software is application software, which the user is interacting with directly. Basically, every program on a computer is a piece of application software. It is specific purpose software designed to perform a specific function or a group of coordinated functions, tasks or activities for the end users. In fact, the term application software refers to all applications collectively. They are in contrast with system software, which in fact, are low-level programs designed to run a computer’s hardware or application programs. The most common application software programs are the ones we use every day and include Microsoft suite of products, Web browsers [such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.], media players, photo editors, mobile applications, and more.
Difference between Device Driver and Application Software
Meaning
– Device drivers are operating system-specific software programs that enable a hardware device to communicate with the operating system of a computer. They are software programs that make a particular piece of hardware respond to a well-defined internal programming interface, while hiding the details of how the device actually works. Application software, on the other hand, specific purpose software designed to perform a specific function or a group of coordinated functions, tasks or activities for the end users. It is a computer software program or a group of programs designed to assist the end users with a particular process.
Purpose
– A device driver simply acts as an intermediary between a hardware device and the operating system, which allows a computer to interface and interact with a specific hardware device. The purpose of device drivers is to make sure the hardware functions and operates smoothly by allowing the computer to know the configuration and specifications of the hardware device. Application software is a special computer program created for a specific purpose for the end user. The purpose is to help end users perform different tasks, which may be related to productivity, creativity, or communication.
Types
– Device driver can be primarily divided into two main categories: kernel device drivers and user device drivers. Kernel drivers function as part of the operating system after they are loaded into the memory, such as BIOS drivers and motherboard drivers. User device drivers are the ones triggered by users, such as the plug-and-play device drivers, virtual device drivers, or I/O device drivers. Application software, on the other hand, can be broadly classified into many different software programs, such as word processing software, desktop publishing software, database software, communication software, presentation software, spreadsheet software, and many more.
Device Driver vs. Application Software: Comparison Chart
Summary of Device Driver vs. Application Software
In a nutshell, device drivers are operating system-specific software programs that enable a hardware device to communicate with the operating system of a computer. It does so by letting the computer to know the configuration and specifications of the hardware device so that the device functions smoothly. They make a particular piece of hardware respond to a well-defined internal programming interface without getting into the details of how the device actually works. Application software, on the other hand, are end-user programs that are perceived as a single entity for a well-defined purpose.
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Sagar Khillar is a prolific content/article/blog writer working as a Senior Content Developer/Writer in a reputed client services firm based in India. He has that urge to research on versatile topics and develop high-quality content to make it the best read.
Thanks to his passion for writing, he has over 7 years of professional experience in writing and editing services across a wide variety of print and electronic platforms.
Outside his professional life, Sagar loves to connect with people from different cultures and origin. You can say he is curious by nature. He believes everyone is a learning experience and it brings a certain excitement, kind of a curiosity to keep going. It may feel silly at first, but it loosens you up after a while
and makes it easier for you to start conversations with total strangers – that’s what he said."
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Khillar, S. [2020, October 22]. Difference Between Device Driver and Application Software. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. //www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-device-driver-and-application-software/.
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Khillar, Sagar. "Difference Between Device Driver and Application Software." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 22 October, 2020,
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