Category Description Purpose Specific Examples

System Software A group of programs Controls the 1. Operating

operation of a
computers equipment
systems
2. Utility
Systems
Application Software that can Provide and perform 1. Word
perform a specific set useful tasks for users processing
Software of useful tasks for the to use commonly software
user from home or at 2. Database
school
software
3. Spreadsheet
software
4. Presentation
software
5. Multimedia
software
Open Source Software for which A collaborative effort 1. Firefox
the source code is in which 2. Thunderbird
Software available to the programmers 3. Apache
general public for use improve upon the 4. Python
in certain ways. code and share the
5. PHP
changes within the
community.
Machine Native language They are binary NA
directly understood numbers that
Language by computers CPU represent the actions
a CPU can perform,
which makes them
difficult for a human
to work with.
Assembly Level Low level Commands usually NA
programming correspond directly to
Language language that does machine language
use word-based instructions. It is
commands. mostly used for
writing system
software.
High level Most user-friendly High-level language 1. Compiled
and similar to programs can 2. Interpreted
Language English, with words potentially be 3. Java
and symbols. translated into many
machine languages,
and therefore can run
on any computer with
the appropriate
translator.
Compiled Coded statements are Compiler works in 1. C++
processed by a advance of executing 2. Swift (Apple)
Language complier program, the compiled 3. Ruby
which converts them program and
into machine generally runs faster
language but only works on one
instructions. type of machine.
Interpreted Processed within an It translates either 1. Python
interpreter program directly to actions to 2. PHP
Language and does not perform, or for some 3. Pike
translate statements languages, to code in
to CPU machine code. an intermediate
language for the
interpreter.