What is the primary purpose of an operating system?

The primary purpose of an operating system is to manage hardware and software resources. An operating system serves as a vital intermediary between users and the computer hardware, enabling the system to perform tasks such as managing memory, processing tasks, and facilitating communication between hardware components and software applications. By coordinating and allocating resources such as CPU time, memory space, and input/output devices, the operating system ensures that all components of the system can work together efficiently and effectively.

While providing internet connectivity is important for many modern operating systems, it is not their primary purpose; rather, it is one of many functions they support. Running applications is a critical task of the operating system, but it encompasses a broader role of resource management, rather than focusing solely on applications. Similarly, managing user interfaces is part of the operating system's responsibilities, but it does not capture the full scope of managing the underlying hardware and software resources essential for overall system operation. Thus, the management of hardware and software resources is foundational to the functionality and usability of a computer system.