Hardware and software are two essential components of a computer system. Hardware refers to the physical and visible components of the system, such as a monitor, CPU, keyboard, and mouse. On the other hand, software refers to a set of instructions that enable the hardware to perform specific tasks. Software is anything that tells hardware what to do and how to do it, including computer programs and apps on your phone. Examples of software include operating systems, language processors, and device drivers.
Here are some key differences between hardware and software:
Hardware
- Physical and tangible part of the computer system
- Can be touched and seen
- Examples include monitor, printer, scanner, CPU, hard disk drive, ROM, RAM, etc.
Software
- Set of instructions or programs that tell the computer what to do or how to perform a specific task
- Cannot be physically touched but can be used and seen
- Examples include operating systems, language processors, device drivers, word processors, spreadsheets, etc.
Hardware and software are interdependent, meaning they need each other to function properly. Hardware needs software to tell it what to do, while software needs hardware to perform tasks.
