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What are the types of Operating Systems?

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  • Amit Shekhar
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    Amit Shekhar
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What are the types of Operating Systems?

I am Amit Shekhar, Co-Founder @ Outcome School, I have taught and mentored many developers, and their efforts landed them high-paying tech jobs, helped many tech companies in solving their unique problems, and created many open-source libraries being used by top companies. I am passionate about sharing knowledge through open-source, blogs, and videos.

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As we already know what an Operating System is and what are its goal and functions. We also know that an Operating System is a software that acts as an intermediate between the user and the hardware components of the system. The Operating System is responsible for managing various resources of the system.

In this blog, we will learn what are the different types of Operating Systems. So, let’s get started.

Batch Operating System

First, we will learn about the Batch Operating System. In the Batch Operating System, similar types of jobs are grouped together into batches.

This grouping of batches is done with the help of the operator. When we have the batches ready, the execution is done one by one for the batches which means batch-wise.

The best way to understand it is by taking an example. Let’s take an example:

Suppose that we have 100 programs to execute. Those programs are in two languages: Java and C++.

55 programs are in Java and 45 programs are in C++. Here, two batches can be created: one for all the Java programs, and one for all the C++ programs.

Here, if we execute in batches, we will get the benefit of loading the Java compiler for 1 time only not 55 times.

Similarly for the C++, the C++ compiler will get loaded for 1 time only not 45 times.

As we are loading the compiler for the 1 time only and executing that particular batch. We have an advantage.

This is the working model of the Batch Operating System.

Advantages:

  1. It allows multiple users to use it at the same time.
  2. Reduction in the time taken by the system to execute all the programs.

Disadvantages:

  1. If a job fails, the other jobs will have to wait for an unknown time.
  2. Batch systems are sometimes costly.
  3. Difficult to debug.

Time-Sharing Operating System

Now, it's time to learn about the Time-Sharing Operating System.

Here, more than one task gets executed at a particular time with the help of the time-sharing concept. And we have the term quantum which means the amount of time that each task gets for execution.

Quantum is the short duration of time that is decided for each task in a time-sharing operating system.

Suppose we have 4 tasks.

  • Task 1
  • Task 2
  • Task 3
  • Task 4

It starts with Task 1, it gets executed for that particular fixed amount of time.

Then, Task 2 gets the chance of execution for that particular fixed amount of time.

After that, Task 3 gets the chance of execution for that particular fixed amount of time.

And finally, Task 4 gets the chance of execution for that particular fixed amount of time.

And then again the Task 1, Task 2, Task 3, and so on. The cycle goes on.

This is the working model of the Time-Sharing Operating System.

Advantages:

  1. Each task gets an equal opportunity for execution.
  2. Reduction in the idle time of the CPU.

Disadvantages:

  1. The data of each task should be handled properly so that they don’t get mixed during the execution.
  2. No way to give an advantage to the higher-priority task that needs immediate execution.

Distributed Operating System

Now, we will learn about the Distributed Operating System.

In this Operating System, we have many systems and all these systems have their own CPU, main memory, secondary memory, and resources.

As the name is distributed operating system, these systems are connected to each other over the network.

As it is connected to each other over the network, one user can access the data of the other system. So, remote access is the major highlight of this operating system.

And also each system can perform its task individually.

Now, let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of Distributed Operating Systems.

Advantages:

  1. No single point of failure as we have multiple systems, if one fails, another system can execute the task.
  2. Resources are shared with each other, hence, increasing availability across the entire system.
  3. It helps in the reduction of execution time.

Disadvantages:

  1. Since the data is shared across the systems, it needs extra handling to manage the overall infrastructure.
  2. It is difficult to provide adequate security in distributed systems because the nodes as well as the connections need to be secured.
  3. Network failure needs to be handled.

Embedded Operating System

An embedded operating system is a specialized operating system designed to perform a specific task for a device that is not a computer.

Examples of Embedded Operating Systems:

  • The operating system of ATMs.
  • The operating system in Elevators.

The operating system used in the ATMs or in the Elevators is dedicated to that specialized type of task.

Advantages:

  1. It is fast as it does the specialized type of task only.

Disadvantages:

  1. Only one task can be performed.

Real-time Operating System

A real-time operating system is an operating system for real-time applications that process data and events with critically defined time constraints. It is used when we are dealing with real-time data.

Examples:

  • Air Traffic Control Systems
  • Medical systems

There are two types of Real-time Operating Systems:

  1. Hard Real-time: When a slight delay can lead to a big problem, we use this Hard Real-time operating system. The time constraints are very strict.
  2. Soft Real-time: When a slight delay is manageable and does not impact anything as such, we use this Soft Real-time operating system.

Advantages:

  1. Maximum utilization of devices and resources.
  2. These systems are almost error-free.

Disadvantages:

  1. The algorithms used in Real-time Operating System is very complex.
  2. Limited tasks.
  3. Use Heavy System resources.

So, we have seen some of the important Operating System types.

That's it for now.

Thanks

Amit Shekhar
Co-Founder @ Outcome School

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