'Software' refers to the programs that run on a computer.

Software within a computer system is divided into two main types, system software and application software.

System software

System software is any software that assists with the running or management of the computer system. This can include operating systems, security software and file management software.

Application software

Application software is any software added to the system that enables the user to perform a task. For example, a word processor allows the user to type a document and a browser allows the user to view web pages.