Software

Software is a collection of programs and associated data that instructs a computer or other digital device to perform tasks. It is distinct from the physical hardware that executes it.

Computer program: A sequence of instructions that a computer can execute to perform a task. Programs are the executable instructions at software’s core.
Programming language: A formal language used to express instructions that can be translated or interpreted by a computer. Programming languages provide rules for expressing software instructions.
Application software: Software designed to help users perform particular tasks. Applications are the software most directly used for tasks such as writing or communication.
Computer hardware: The physical components of a computer or digital device. Hardware is the physical counterpart that executes software instructions.
Data: Recorded information that can be stored, processed, or transmitted by a computer. Software operates on data and often includes data files alongside instructions.
Compiler: A program that translates source code into another representation, often machine code. Compilers turn software written in one language into instructions a processor can execute.
System software: Software that manages computer resources and supports application programs. System software provides the foundations on which applications run.
Free software: Software whose license grants users freedom to run, study, modify, and share it. The free-software movement defines software freedom through user rights.
Source code: Human-readable program text written in a programming language. Source code is the editable form from which many software programs are built.
Interpreter (computing): A program that executes instructions from source code or an intermediate representation. Interpreters execute program instructions without requiring the same ahead-of-time translation as a compiler.

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