Application Software

Application software are computer programs designed to perform specific organizational or personal tasks on a computing platform. While the operating system is a software program designed to create a basic interface with which the user accesses applications and hardware, application software encompasses a wide variety of other tasks the user may wish to perform. These tasks can include writing a report, sending an email, creating a spreadsheet and listening to music. Examples of application software include MS Office, QuickTime, Adobe Acrobat, and the Mozilla Firefox web browser. See the term Operating System in this glossary for more information.