Application software is a set of one or more programs designed to carry out operations for

a specifc application. Application software cannot run on itself but it is dependent on system
software to execute. For example: MS Word, MS Excel, ally software, !ibrary management
system, billing system, etc. "#$
%e term is used to contrast suc% software wit% anot%er type of computer program referred to
as system software, w%ic% manages and integrates a computer&s capabilities but does not
directly perform tas's t%at beneft t%e user. %e system software ser(es t%e application,
w%ic% in turn ser(es t%e user.
Examples include accounting software, enterprise software, grap%ics software, media players,
and o)ce suites. Many application programs deal principally wit% documents. Applications
may be bundled wit% t%e computer and its system software or publis%ed separately, and can
be coded as uni(ersity pro*ects."+$
Application software applies t%e power of a particular computing platform or system software
to a particular purpose.
Some applications are a(ailable in (ersions for se(eral di,erent platforms- ot%ers %a(e
narrower re.uirements and are t%us called, for example, a /eograp%y application
for Windows, an Android application for education, or !inux gaming. Sometimes a new and
popular application arises w%ic% only runs on one platform, increasing t%e desirability of t%at
platform. %is is called a 'iller application.
Contents
"%ide$
# erminology
+ Application software classifcation
+.# 0nformation wor'er software
+.+ 1ontent access software
+.2 Entertainment software
+.3 Educational software
+.4 Enterprise infrastructure software
+.5 Simulation software
+.6 Media de(elopment software
+.7 8roduct engineering software
2 See also
3 9eferences
Terminology[edit]
0n information tec%nology, an application is a computer program designed to %elp people
perform an acti(ity. An application t%us di,ers from an operating system :w%ic% runs a
computer;, autility :w%ic% performs maintenance or general<purpose c%ores;, and
a programming tools :wit% w%ic% computer programs are created;"original research?$.
=epending on t%e acti(ity for w%ic% it was designed, an application can manipulate text,
numbers, grap%ics, or a combination of t%ese elements. Some application pac'ages o,er
considerable computing power by focusing on a single tas', suc% as word processing- ot%ers,
called integrated software, o,er somew%at less power but include se(eral applications.
"2$ >ser<written software tailors systems to meet t%e user&s specifc needs. >ser<written
software includes spreads%eet templates, word processor macros, scientifc simulations,
grap%ics and animation scripts. E(en email flters are a 'ind of user software. >sers create
t%is software t%emsel(es and often o(erloo' %ow important it is.
%e delineation between system software suc% as operating systems and application software
is not exact, %owe(er, and is occasionally t%e ob*ect of contro(ersy. For example, one of t%e
'ey .uestions in t%e >nited States (. Microsoft antitrust trial was w%et%er Microsoft&s 0nternet
Explorer web browser was part of its Windows operating system or a separable piece of
application software. As anot%er example, t%e /?>@!inux naming contro(ersy is, in part, due
to disagreement about t%e relations%ip between t%e !inux 'ernel and t%e operating systems
built o(er t%is'ernel. 0n some types of embedded systems, t%e application software and t%e
operating system software may be indistinguis%able to t%e user, as in t%e case of software
used to control a A19,=A= player or microwa(e o(en. %e abo(e defnitions may exclude
some applications t%at may exist on some computers in large organiBations. For an
alternati(e defnition of an app: seeApplication Portfolio Management.
0n recent years, t%e s%ortened term CappC :coined in #D74"3$; %as become particularly popular
to refer to applications for mobile de(ices suc% as smartp%ones and tablets, t%e s%ortened
form matc%ing t%eir typically smaller scope in relation to applications used by 81s.
Application sofware classifcation[edit]
%ere are many di,erent ways to di(ide up di,erent types of application software, and se(eral
are explained %ere.
Since t%e de(elopment and near<uni(ersal adoption of t%e web, an important distinction t%at
%as emerged %as been between web applications E written wit% FM!, Ga(aScript and ot%er
web<nati(e tec%nologies and typically re.uiring one to be online and running a web browser,
and t%e more traditional nati(e applications written in w%ate(er languages are a(ailable for
one&s particular type of computer. %ere %as been contentious debate in t%e computing
community regarding web applications replacing nati(e applications for many purposes,
especially on mobile de(ices suc% as smart p%ones and tablets. Web apps %a(e indeed
greatly increased in popularity for some uses, but t%e ad(antages of applications ma'e t%em
unli'ely to disappear soon, if e(er. Furt%ermore, t%e two can be complementary, and e(en
integrated.[5] [6] [7]
Application software can also be seen as being eit%er %oriBontal or (ertical."7$ "D$ ForiBontal
applications are more popular and widespread, because t%ey are general purpose, for
example word processors or databases. Aertical applications are nic%e products, designed for
a particular type of industry or business, or department wit%in an organiBation. 0ntegrated
suites of software will try to %andle e(ery specifc aspect possible of, for example,
manufacturing or ban'ing systems, or accounting, or customer ser(ice.
%ere are many types of application software:
An application suite consists of multiple applications bundled toget%er. %ey usually %a(e
related functions, features and user interfaces, and may be able to interact wit% eac% ot%er,
e.g. open eac% ot%er&s fles. Husiness applications often come in suites, e.g. Microsoft
I)ce, !ibreI)ce and iWor', w%ic% bundle toget%er a word processor, a spreads%eet, etc.-
but suites exist for ot%er purposes, e.g. grap%ics or music.
Enterprise software addresses t%e needs of an entire organiBation&s processes and data Jow,
across most all departments, often in a large distributed en(ironment. :Examples include
fnancial systems, customer relations%ip management :19M; systems and supply c%ain
management software;. =epartmental Software is a sub<type of enterprise software wit% a
focus on smaller organiBations and@or groups wit%in a large organiBation. :Examples include
tra(el expense management and 0 Felpdes'.;
Enterprise infrastructure software pro(ides common capabilities needed to support
enterprise software systems. :Examples include databases, email ser(ers, and systems for
managing networ's and security.;
Information worker software lets users create and manage information, often for indi(idual
pro*ects wit%in a department, in contrast to enterprise management. Examples include time
management, resource management, documentation tools, analytical, and collaborati(e.
Word processors, spreads%eets, email and blog clients, personal information system, and
indi(idual media editors may aid in multiple information wor'er tas's.
Content access software is used primarily to access content wit%out editing, but may include
software t%at allows for content editing. Suc% software addresses t%e needs of indi(iduals and
groups to consume digital entertainment and publis%ed digital content. :Examples
include media players, web browsers, and %elp browsers.;
Educational software is related to content access software, but %as t%e content and@or
features adapted for use in by educators or students. For example, it may deli(er e(aluations
:tests;, trac' progress t%roug% material, or include collaborati(e capabilities.
Simulation software simulates p%ysical or abstract systems for eit%er researc%, training or
entertainment purposes.
Media development software generates print and electronic media for ot%ers to consume,
most often in a commercial or educational setting. %is includes grap%ic<art software, des'top
publis%ing software, multimedia de(elopment software, FM! editors, digital<animation
editors, digital audio and (ideo composition, and many ot%ers."#K$
Product engineering software is used in de(eloping %ardware and software products. %is
includes computer<aided design :1A=;, computer<aided engineering :1AE;, computer
language editing and compiling tools, integrated de(elopment en(ironments, and application
programmer interfaces.
Applications can also be classifed by computing platform suc% as a particular operating
system, deli(ery networ' suc% as in cloud computing and Web +.K applications, or deli(ery
de(ices suc% as mobile apps for mobile de(ices.
%e operating system itself can be considered application software w%en performing simple
calculating, measuring, rendering, and word processing tas's not used to control %ardware
(iacommand<line interface or grap%ical user interface. %is does not include application
software bundled wit%in operating systems suc% as a software calculator or text editor.