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An Operating System (OS), in its most general sense, is software that allows a user to run other applications in a computing device, as well as Virtual Machine applications, which emulate another computer. While it is possible for a software application to interface directly with hardware, it is not advisable from a portability or lifecycle perspective. Software applications that access hardware resources or other computer components directly pose a security risk.

Operating systems provide a common, well documented, and tested set of libraries, which abstract the idiosyncrasies of the host computer away from its applications.

An OS primarily manages a computer's hardware resources, including:

• Input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, track pad, touch screens, camera, microphone, scanners, or sensors
• Output devices such as display monitors, speakers, printers, or faxes
• Network devices such as modems, router, wired and wireless Internet Protocol network connections, and Bluetooth
• Storage devices such as internal and external disks
• Memory devices

The OS also manages a computer's:

• CPU
• Processes
• Privileges
• Cache
• Energy, i.e., power management

• IEEE 1003.1-2017 - IEEE Standard for Information Technology--Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX(R)) Base Specifications (NOTE: See UNIX)
• ISO/IEC 23360-1:2006 Linux Standard Base (LSB) core specification 3.1 -- Part 1: Generic specification
• ISO/IEC The Linux Standard Base 5 Specification Series (LSB 5)

• Apple: Darwin
• Apple: iOS
• Apple: MacOS
• Google: Android
• Microsoft: Windows API

• None at this time