Software 101: A Complete Guide to Different Types of Software

In today’s digital world, software powers everything—from smartphones and websites to business operations and artificial intelligence.

The myriad of software and their distinctions can be overwhelming for anyone. Especially if you do not understand the different types of software available.

In this article, we will explain what software is, what are its major types, their uses, and applications. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of different types of software. 

What is software?

Software is a set of instructions, data, or programs that tell a computer how to work. It is the non-physical part of a computer system, enabling hardware to perform specific tasks. 

Some common examples of software include Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Reader, Google Chrome, Gmail, Powerpoint, VLC, and many other similar computer programs that we often use in our daily life.

If we sat down to list all the examples of software, the list would never end, but what’s more important than that is to understand how they differ from each other.

Types of software can be broadly classified into two categories.

What are the two main types of software?

The two major types of computer software are:

• Application Software
• System Software

Application Software

As a user of technology, application software or ‘apps’ are what you engage with the most. These types of computer software are productive end-user programs that help you perform tasks. Following are some examples of application software that allow you to do specific work:

• MS Excel: It is spreadsheet software that you can use for presenting and analysing data.
• Photoshop: It is a photo editing application software by Adobe. You can use it to visually enhance, catalogue and share your pictures.
• Skype: It is an online communication app that you can use for video chat, voice calling and instant messaging.

Software applications are also referred to as non-essential software. They are installed and operated on a computer-based on the user’s requirement. There is plenty of application software that you can use to perform different tasks. The number of such apps keeps increasing with technological advances and the evolving needs of the users. You can categorise these software types into different groups, as shown in the following table:

System Software

System software helps the user, hardware, and application software to interact and function together. These types of computer software allow an environment or platform for other software and applications to work in. This is why system software is essential in managing the whole computer system.

When you first power up your computer, it is the system software that is initially loaded into memory. Unlike application software, the System software is not used by end-users like you. It only runs in the background of your device, at the most basic level while you use other application software. This is why system software is also called “low-level software”.

Operating systems are an example of system software. All of your computer-like devices run on an operating system, including your desktop, laptop, smartphone, and tablet, etc. Here is a list of examples of an operating system. Let’s take a look and you might spot some familiar names of desktop software:

For desktop computers, laptops and tablets:

• Microsoft Windows
• Mac Application (for Apple devices)
• Linux

For smartphones:

• Apple’s iOS
• Google’s Android
• Windows Phone OS

Other than operating systems, some people also classify programming software and driver software as types of system software. However, we will discuss them individually in the next two sections.

Programming Software

Programming software is the type of software that is not used by end-users. It is not for you unless, of course, you are a programmer who writes code. Programming software examples are programs that are used to write, develop, test, and debug other software, including apps and system software. For someone who works at a bespoke software development company, for example, this type of software would make their life easier and efficient.

Programming software is used by software programmers as translator programs. They are facilitator software used to translate programming languages (i.e., Java, C++, Python, PHP, BASIC, etc) into machine language code. Translators can be compilers, interpreters and assemblers. You can understand compilers as programs that translate the whole source code into machine code and execute it. Interpreters run the source code as the program is run line by line. And assemblers translate the basic computer instructions – assembly code – into machine code.

Programming software examples include the different programming language editors, debuggers, compilers and IDEs. Such as:

• Eclipse – a Java language editor
• Coda – programming language editor for Mac
• Notepad++ – an open-source editor for windows
• Sublime Text – a cross-platform code editor for Mac, Windows, and Linux

Driver Software

Driver software is often classified as one of the types of system software. They operate and control devices and peripherals plugged into a computer. Drivers are important because they enable the devices to perform their designated tasks. They do this by translating commands of an Operating System for the Hardware or devices, assigning duties. Therefore, each device connected with your computer requires at least one device driver to function.

Since there are thousands of types of devices, drivers make the job of your system software easier by allowing it to communicate through a standardized language. Some examples of driver software that you may be familiar with are:

• Printer Driver
• Mouse Driver
• Network Card

Usually, the operating system comes built-in with drivers for mouse, keyboard, and printers by default. They often do not require third-party installations. But for some advanced devices, you may need to install the driver externally. Moreover, if you use multiple operating systems like Linux, Windows, and Mac, then each of these supports different variants of drivers. For them, separate drivers need to be maintained for each.

Other types of software

Now that we have discussed the major types of software and now you must be wondering about the software you use most frequently. For example, trendy social media software applications like Snapchat and Instagram or photo editing apps like PhotoShop and Snapseed.

You must be thinking about what category they fall under. Can they only be classified as a broad category of Application software or are there better ways to describe them? The answer – yes, other than the major types of computer software there are various subcategories of software.

Let’s discuss five additional subcategories of software and understand them using examples of trendy software.

These are:

• Freeware
• Shareware
• Open Source Software
• Closed Source Software
• Utility Software

Freeware

Freeware software is any software that is available to use for free. They can be downloaded and installed over the internet without any cost. Some well-known examples of freeware are:

• Google Chrome
• Skype
• Instagram
• Snapchat
• Adobe reader

Although they all fall under the category of Application or end-user software, they can further be categorised as freeware because they are free for you to use. If you want to build a custom app, you can contact any agency from uk software development companies list.

Shareware

Shareware, on the other hand, are software applications that are paid programs, but are made available for free for a limited period of time known as ‘trial period’. You can use the software without any charges for the trial period but you will be asked to purchase it for use after the trial ends. Shareware allows you to test drive the software before you actually invest in purchasing it. Some examples of Shareware that you must be familiar with are:

• Adobe PhotoShop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Netflix App
• Matlab
• McAfee Antivirus

Open Source Software

This is a type of software that has an open-source code that is available to use for all users. It can be modified and shared with anyone for any purpose. Common examples of open source software used by programmers are:

• LibreOffice
• PHP
• GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
• nopCommerce shopping cart software

Closed Source Software

These are the types of software that are non-free for the programmers. For this software, the source code is the intellectual property of software publishers. It is also called ‘proprietary software’ since only the original authors can copy, modify and share the software. Following are some of the most common examples of closed-source software:

• .NET
• Java
• Android
• Microsoft Office
• Adobe PhotoShop

Utility Software

Utility software is considered a subgroup of system software. They manage the performance of your hardware and application software installed on your computer, to ensure they work optimally. Some features of utility software include:

• Antivirus and security software
• File compressor
• Disk cleaner
• Disk defragmentation software
• Data backup software

Conclusion

There can be multiple ways to classify different types of computer software. The software can be categorised based on the function they perform such as Application software, System software, Programming Software, and Driver software. They can also be classified based on different features such as the nature of source code, accessibility, and cost of usage.

After reading this article, I am hopeful you will now be able to clearly identify the types of software around you. A clear understanding of them will help you choose and use the software efficiently.

FAQs

What is a CRM software?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software helps businesses manage interactions with customers, track sales, and streamline communication. It centralises customer data, automates tasks, and improves customer service. Popular types of CRM software include Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM.

What are the different types of software testing?

Software testing ensures a program functions correctly and efficiently. Common types include unit testing (testing individual components), integration testing (checking combined modules), functional testing (verifying features), and performance testing (assessing speed and stability). Each type helps improve software quality and reliability.

What are two types of software that you could use to create a storyboard?

Graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop and Canva allows users to design visual storyboards, while dedicated storyboard tools like Storyboard That and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro offer specialised features for planning and organising scenes. These tools help visualise ideas for animation, film, and presentations.

What are the two types of issues affecting software stakeholders?

Software stakeholders face technical issues, such as bugs, security vulnerabilities, and performance problems, which impact usability and efficiency. They also deal with business-related issues, including budget constraints, compliance requirements, and changing market demands, which influence software development and success.