Following are the functions of an operating system :

• Provides user interface: Operating SYSTEMS provide an interface between computer hardware and the users. It makes it easy for the user to access the hardware in a systematic manner.
• Maintains system performance: Helps increase performance by monitoring overall system health. To get a thorough picture of the system's health, keep track of the time between service requests and system responses. This can aid performance by providing critical information for troubleshooting issues.
• Security: To safeguard user data, the operating system employs password protection and other similar MEASURES. It also protects applications and user data from illegal access.
• Error-detection: The operating system constantly monitors the system in order to detect errors and PREVENT a computer system from failing.
• Memory Management: The primary memory, often known as main memory, is managed by the operating system. The main memory consists of a vast array of bytes or words, each of which is allocated an address. Main memory is rapid storage that the CPU can access directly. A program must first be loaded into the main memory before it can be executed. For memory management, an operating system performs the following tasks:
  • It keeps track of primary memory, i.e., which user programmes use specific bytes of memory. Memory addresses that have already been assigned, as well as memory addresses that have yet to be used.
  • The OS determines the order in which processes are permitted memory access and for how long in multiprogramming. It allocates memory to a process when the process asks for it and deallocates memory when the process exits or performs an I/O activity.
• Processor Management: In a multiprogramming environment, the operating system determines the sequence in which tasks access the processor and the amount of processing time each process has.
• Device Management: An operating system (OS) controls device connectivity through drivers. It keeps track of all the devices that are linked to the system. The Input/Output controller is a program that is responsible for all devices. Determines which processes are allowed access to a device and for how long. Allocates devices in a way that is both effective and efficient. When a gadget is no longer NEEDED, it is deallocated.
• File Management: A file system is DIVIDED into directories to make navigation and usage more efficient. Other directories and files may be found in these directories. The operating system keeps track of where data is kept, user access settings, and the state of each file, among other things.