Home

Operating System Tutorial

Last Updated : December 30, 2025

This Operating System tutorial contains all the basic to advance operating system topics like Process and I/O Device Management, File and Network Management, Memory Management, Security Management, CPU Scheduling, and more.

What is an Operating System?

An operating system (OS) is the interface between user and computer hardware. It manages the hardware attached to the computer system. An operating system is a system software. Operating system perform various task regarding computer system like memory management,controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers,handling input and output,file management etc.

An Operating System (OS) is system software that acts as an interface between the computer hardware and the user. It manages hardware resources such as CPU, memory, storage, and input/output devices, and provides a platform on which application programs can run.

Common examples of operating systems include Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Why Operating System is Required?

An operating system is required to manage the complex interactions between hardware and software. Without an OS, users would not be able to run programs or efficiently use computer resources.

• It controls and coordinates hardware components
• It manages memory and processor usage
• It provides a user-friendly interface
• It ensures security and access control
• It enables multitasking and resource sharing

Types of Operating System

Operating systems can be classified into different types based on their functionality and usage:

• Batch Operating System – Executes batches of jobs with no user interaction
• Time Sharing Operating System – Allows multiple users to share system resources
• Distributed Operating System – Manages a group of independent computers
• Real-Time Operating System – Provides immediate response for time-critical tasks
• Network Operating System – Manages network resources and connected systems
• Mobile Operating System – Designed for smartphones and tablets

Operating System Tutorial Index

1. Operating System: What It Is, Functions, and Types
2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Operating Systems
3. Operating Systems: Types and Functions of User Interfaces
4. What are the Services of an Operating System?
5. Real Time Operating System (RTOS) and Its Types
6. Dual Mode Operations in Operating System
7. Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing in Operating System
8. Multitasking and Multithreading in Operating System
9. Batch Processing Operating System: What It Is, Advantages & Disadvantages
10. Differences Between Real-Time and Time-Sharing Operating Systems
11. Difference Between Multitasking and Multiprocessing Operating Systems
12. Segmentation in Operating System
13. Fragmentation in Operating System
14. Kernel in Operating System
15. Types of Kernels in Operating System
16. Kernel I/O Subsystem and Services in Operating System
17. Difference Between Kernel and Operating System
18. Difference Between Firmware and Operating System
19. Process States in Operating System
20. Process in Operating System: Classification, Scheduling, Execution
21. Highest Response Ratio Next (HRRN) Scheduling in Operating System
22. Booting Process in Operating System
23. Child Process in Operating System
24. Memory Layout of a Process in Operating System
25. Types of Computer Memory | Operating System
26. Cache Memory: What It Is, Types, Advantages, and Disadvantages
27. Cache Memory Performance and Its Design
28. Process Management of Operating System
29. File Management in operating System
30. File Management Functions of Operating System
31. File Allocation Table (FAT): What It Is, Types, Versions, Advantages & Disadvantages
32. FAT32 vs. exFAT vs. NTFS: What's the Difference?
33. File Allocation Methods in Operating System
34. File System and File Access Methods in Operating System
35. Free Space Management in Operating System
36. Process Control Block in Operating System
37. Process Operations in Operating System
38. Process Scheduling in Operating System
39. Important Terms Used in Process Scheduling
40. FCFS: First Come First Serve Scheduling Algorithm
41. SJF: Shortest Job First Scheduling Algorithm
42. SRTF: Shortest Remaining Time First Scheduling Algorithm
43. LJF: Longest Job First Scheduling Algorithm
44. LRTF: Longest Remaining Time First Scheduling Algorithm
45. Non-Preemptive Priority Scheduling Algorithm
46. Preemptive Priority Scheduling Algorithm
47. Round Robin Scheduling Algorithm
48. Process State Diagram in Operating System
49. Process Synchronization and Inter Process Communication (IPC)
50. Deadlock in Operating System
51. Methods for Handling Deadlock in Operating System
52. Memory Management in Operating System
53. Physical and Virtual Memory in Operating System
54. Difference Between Virtual Memory and Cache Memory
55. Memory Management Techniques in Operating System
56. Contiguous and Non-Contiguous Memory Allocation
57. Job Sequencing (Algorithm, Time Complexity, and Example)
58. Device and Security Management in Operating System
59. CPU Scheduling in Operating System
60. Disk Scheduling in Operating System
61. Disk Scheduling Algorithms in Operating System
62. Threading in Operating System
63. Thread Implementation in Operating System
64. Cooperating Processes in Operating System
65. Multilevel Queue (MLQ) CPU Scheduling in Operating System
66. Critical Section in Operating System
67. Classical Synchronization Problem in Operating System
68. Semaphores Solutions in Operating System
69. Problem associated with priority scheduling and its solution
70. Hardware Protection in Operating System
71. Drawback of Resource Preemption
72. System Calls: What It Is, Types
73. Multi-processor Scheduling in Operating System
74. Bare Machine and Resident Monitor
75. Differences Between Hard Computing and Soft Computing
76. Prediction of CPU Burst Time for a Process in SJF by Static Method
77. Prediction of CPU Burst Time for a Process in SJF by Dynamic Method
78. Application Software: What It Is, Types, Characteristics
79. Difference Between System Software and Application Software
80. Convoy Effect in FCFS Scheduling
81. FCFS Scheduling with Overhead
82. Memory Mapping and Its Types
83. Cache Mapping and Its Types
84. Direct Mapped Cache: Working and Implementation
85. Set-associative Mapped Cache: Working and Implementation
86. Difference Between CPU and GPU
87. How changing cache line size will affect other parameters?
88. Difference Between Buffering and Spooling
89. Preemptive Vs. Non-Preemptive Scheduling
90. SRTF with Processes contains CPU and IO Time
91. Booting: What It Is, Architecture, and Booting Process

Misc.

1. DOS Directory Structure and File Naming Rules
2. Top 7 Common Causes of Disk Failure with Solutions

Who Should Learn Operating System?

Operating System concepts are essential for anyone who wants to understand how computers work internally. This tutorial is useful for:

• Computer science and IT students
• Software developers and programmers
• System administrators
• Competitive exam aspirants
• Anyone interested in core computer fundamentals

Why to Learn Operating System?

Learning operating systems helps build strong foundations in computer science. It improves understanding of how software interacts with hardware and how system resources are managed efficiently.

• Helps in understanding process and memory management
• Essential for system-level programming
• Important for interviews and competitive exams
• Useful for learning advanced topics like cloud and virtualization

Career Opportunities After Learning Operating System

Learning operating system concepts opens the door to various career paths in software development, system administration, and core computer science fields. A strong understanding of OS fundamentals is highly valued in both technical interviews and real-world system design.

Job Opportunities After Learning Operating System

Knowledge of operating systems is essential for many roles that involve performance, scalability, security, and system-level understanding. Some of the popular job roles include:

• Software Developer / Engineer – Uses OS concepts for memory management, multitasking, and performance optimization
• System Administrator – Manages servers, operating systems, and system resources
• DevOps Engineer – Works with Linux systems, automation, containers, and cloud infrastructure
• Embedded Systems Engineer – Develops software for hardware devices using real-time operating systems
• Operating System Engineer – Designs and improves OS components such as kernels and schedulers
• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) – Ensures system reliability, scalability, and performance
• Cyber Security Analyst – Applies OS-level knowledge for system hardening and threat analysis

Skills That Complement Operating System Knowledge

To maximize career opportunities, operating system knowledge should be combined with the following skills:

• Programming in C, C++, or Java
• Linux commands and shell scripting
• Data structures and algorithms
• Computer networks fundamentals
• Database basics and system security concepts

Industries Where OS Knowledge Is Useful

• Software and IT services
• Cloud computing and data centers
• Embedded systems and IoT
• Cyber security and system administration
• Research and academic institutions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)