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Glossary
Look up any term from this course. Each entry links back to the lesson that taught it.
| Term | Definition | Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| Batch file | A text file of commands (.bat on Windows) that run one after another. | Working with Files at the Command Line |
| Booting | The process of starting a computer: the firmware tests the hardware, then loads the operating system from storage into memory. | Booting a Computer |
| Bootloader | A small program that loads the operating system kernel into memory, e.g. Windows Boot Manager or GRUB. | Booting a Computer |
| Client Access Licence (CAL) | A licence allowing a user or device to connect to Windows Server. | Comparing Windows, Windows Server, Linux and macOS |
| Command-line interface (CLI) | A user interface where commands are typed as text. | User Interfaces |
| Device driver | A small program that lets the operating system communicate with a particular hardware device, translating general OS commands into instructions that device understands. | File, Device and Security Management |
| Distribution (Linux distro) | A complete operating system built around the Linux kernel, e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat Enterprise Linux. | Comparing Windows, Windows Server, Linux and macOS |
| File system | The method an OS uses to organise and keep track of files on a drive, e.g. NTFS, ext4, APFS, exFAT. | File, Device and Security Management |
| Graphical user interface (GUI) | A user interface of windows, icons, menus and a pointer (WIMP). | User Interfaces |
| Interrupt | A signal to the CPU that an event needs attention, causing it to pause the current task, handle the event, and then return. | Process and Memory Management |
| Kernel | The core part of an operating system that stays in memory and controls the CPU, memory, devices and processes. | Booting a Computer |
| Multitasking | Running several programs by switching the CPU between them quickly (or running them on several cores). | Process and Memory Management |
| Open source | Software whose source code is published under a licence that lets anyone read, change and share it. | Comparing Windows, Windows Server, Linux and macOS |
| Operating system (OS) | System software that manages the computer's hardware and software resources and provides common services and a user interface for programs and users. | Introduction |
| POST (power-on self-test) | The firmware's check of the essential hardware when a computer is switched on. | Booting a Computer |
| Process | A program that is currently running, together with the memory, files and CPU state it is using. | Process and Memory Management |
| Real-time operating system (RTOS) | An operating system that guarantees to respond to events within a strict time limit. | Types of Operating Systems |
| Scheduler | The part of the OS that decides which process runs on the CPU next. | Process and Memory Management |
| Spooling | Holding jobs for a slow device, such as a printer, in a queue on disk and sending them one at a time. | File, Device and Security Management |
| Total cost of ownership (TCO) | The full cost of a system over its life: licences, hardware, training, support and running costs. | Comparing Windows, Windows Server, Linux and macOS |
| Wildcard | A character such as * or ? that matches other characters, so one command can act on many files. | Working with Files at the Command Line |
More lessons in Operating Systems · Previous: Course Exam