Software Application

Application software is defined as the computer software programs designed for end users to perform specific tasks such as accounting software, graphics software, enterprise software, and media players. These programs are of two types: Application and system software. System software consists of low level programs that interact at very basic level like compilers, operating system and utilities for managing computer resources. Application and software consists of word processors, database programs and spread sheets and resides above the system software.

Application again is divided into categories: vertical application and horizontal application. Vertical application is designed for the particular business or division in a company whereas horizontal application is widespread in companies or departments.

Other types of application software are:

  1. Product engineering software: It is used in developing the software and hardware products such as computer aided engineering, computer-aided design, integrated development environments, application programmer interfaces, computer language editing and compiling tools.

  2. Simulation software pretends abstract or physical system for training, research and entertainment purposes.

  3. Educational software is used by students and educators.

  4. Media development helps the person who is in print and electronic media or in educational settings such as multimedia development software, graphic art software, HTML editors, digital audio and video composition and many more others.

  5. Information worker software helps to create and manage the information.

  6. Content access software is used to access the content without doing any change or editing in it.
  7. Enterprise software is used in a large distributed environment and meets the needs of organization processes and data flow. And departmental software is sub type of enterprise software and works in groups or smaller organization.

  8. Enterprise infrastructure software offers common capabilities to manage and create information such as email servers, security, system for managing networks and databases.

Operating system can also be considered as the application software as it can also perform measuring, rendering, word processing and simple calculating but this also does not mean that software application is mixed with operating system such as text editor.