List of “Difference Between” Operating System (OS) Topics

Operating System is system software and it works as an interface between the user and computer hardware as it provides interaction between them. Operating systems provide an environment in which a user can conveniently execute programs and solve their problem easily. Operating System is a collection of a set of programs, which manages every resource of the computer system. It has various features such as Scheduling, Memory management, security, and interaction with different software.

Operating Systems are an important subject and the most popular topic among the interviewers. Understanding and learning the differences in Operating system methodologies, functions, and processes help you to develop depth knowledge about operating systems and also helps to prepare for technical interviews.

What is Operating System?

An Operating System is a software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services for computer programs. It acts as a medium between the user and the computer hardware, allowing users to execute commands and run applications.

The operating system uses two components to manage Computer programs and applications.

1.) The kernel is the core inner component that processes data at the hardware level. it handles input-output management, memory and process management.

2.) The shell is the outer layer which manages all the Interactions between the user and OS. It is also referred to as a User Space. The shell communicates with OS either by taking user input or by a shell script.

Functions of Operating Systems

• Booting: After, Functional operating system manages the startup of a device.
• Process management: The operating system allocates space to enable computer processes, such as storing and sharing information.
• Memory management: An operating system coordinates computer applications and allocates space to different programs installed in the computer.
• User interface: This part of an operating system, also known as UI, allows users to enter and receive information.
• Data security: An operating system protects your data from cyberattacks.
• Loading and execution: An operating system starts and executes a program.
• Drive/disk management: An operating system manages computer drives and divides disks.
• Device control: An operating system enables you to allow or block access to devices.

List of “Differences Between” Operating Systems(OS) Topics

1. Difference between Program and Process
2. Difference between Process and Thread
3. Preemptive and Non-Preemptive Scheduling
4. Difference between Microkernel and Monolithic Kernel
5. Difference between Multiprogramming and Multitasking
6. Difference between Deadlock and Starvation in OS
7. Difference between Short-Term, Medium Term, and Long-Term Scheduler
8. Difference between Short-Term and Medium-Term Schedulers
9. Mutex vs Semaphore
10. Difference between Binary Semaphore and Mutex
11. Difference between Counting and Binary Semaphores
12. Difference between Spinlock and Semaphore
13. Difference between Binary Semaphore and Mutex
14. Difference between SCAN and CSCAN Disk scheduling algorithms
15. Difference Between Paging and Segmentation
16. Difference between Fragmentation and Segmentation in OS
17. Difference between Deadlock Prevention and Deadlock Avoidance
18. Difference between Demand Paging and Segmentation
19. Difference between Paging and Swapping in OS
20. Difference between FCFS and SCAN disk scheduling algorithms
21. Difference between SCAN and LOOK Disk scheduling algorithms
22. Difference between C-SCAN and SSTF Disk Scheduling Algorithm
23. Difference between C-LOOK and C-SCAN Disk Scheduling Algorithm
24. Difference between FCFS and C-SCAN disk scheduling algorithm
25. SCAN (Elevator) Disk Scheduling Algorithms
26. Difference between Seek Time and Disk Access Time in Disk Scheduling
27. Difference between Transfer Time and Disk Access Time in Disk Scheduling
28. Difference between Rotational Latency and Disk Access Time in Disk Scheduling
29. Difference between Hardware and Operating Systems
30. Difference between Network OS and Distributed OS
31. Difference between Process and Thread
32. Difference between Loading and Linking in Operating System
33. Difference between Contiguous and Noncontiguous Memory Allocation
34. Difference Between DOS, Linux & Windows Operating Systems
35. Difference Between Static and Dynamic Loading in Operating System
36. Difference between OS/2 and FreeBSD
37. Difference between Hard real-time and Soft real-time system
38. Difference between Operating System and Kernel
39. Difference between System Software and Operating System
40. Difference between Application Software and Operating System

Conclusion

By understanding these distinctions you will able to learn basic to advance concepts of operating systems such as C- LOOK and C-SCAN, Demand paging and Segmentation, Disk Scheduling algorithm, and so on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the different types of operating systems?

There are various types of operating systems such as:

• Windows (e.g., Windows 10, Windows 11)
• macOS (e.g., macOS Big Sur, macOS Monterey)
• Linux (e.g., Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian)
• Android (primarily used on mobile devices)
• iOS (used on iPhones and iPads)
• Unix (used in servers and workstations)

Q2. What is the difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit operating system?

A 32-bit operating system can manage up to 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM, Whereas a 64-bit operating system can support much larger amounts of RAM, which allows for better performance with more memory-intensive applications.

Q3. What is the main difference between a process and a thread?

Processes provide more isolation but have a higher overhead, Whereas thread offers better efficiency and communication within a shared context .

Q4. What is the purpose of an operating system?

The purpose of an operating system is to manage computer hardware and software resources, provide a user-friendly interface, and execute programs.

Q5. What is the role of memory management in an operating system?

Memory management in an operating system ensures efficient utilization of computer memory by allocating and deallocating memory to processes as needed.

Q6. How does process scheduling work?

Process scheduling determines the order in which processes are executed by the CPU, ensuring fair allocation of system resources and efficient execution.