Key Difference: Software, or computer software, is a collection of programs that provides instructions for the computer. Software is basically the operating system and all of its associated programs. Application software, also known as application or an app, is computer software that is designed to help the user perform various tasks on the computer.

Software and applications are computer programs. Software comprises everything that is not hardware including applications. Simply, an application is a type of software, however not all software are applications. Software and hardware have distinct differences.

Software, or computer software, is a collection of programs that provides instructions for the computer. Software is basically the operating system and all of its associated programs. These files include configuration files, system preferences, system services, libraries of functions and the drivers installed on the computer in order to run the hardware. Anything that is loaded on the computer in order to start the computer is known as software. The operating system is also a type of software.

Software refers to any program or data that stored on the computer. It is defined as a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. System software is already loaded on to the computer when you purchase it. A user can update system software, but cannot run it. However, the software can be actively used by the computer. System software is also known as low-level software as it runs on the most basic level of the computer. It is responsible for creating the GUI through which the user can interact with the hardware and other applications. The system software also creates an environment to run application software and it also controls the computer and other applications that are installed on the computer. Software can be classified in to three different types: platform software, application software and user-written software.

Application software, also known as application or an app, is computer software that is designed to help the user perform various tasks on the computer. Application software differs from a system software is that it can accessed by the user and allows the user to run it on the computer. Application software is usually designed with the user in mind. The new definition of application is used to refer to the small apps that are designed for mobile phones; however the definition covers all applications on the smart phones, tablets as well as computers. Applications are any programs that the user can run and actively interact with.

Application software includes media players, MS Office, OpenOffice, word processors, etc. Application software even includes web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, etc. Application software requires the help of system software in order to run on the computer. Application can be classified into application suite, enterprise software, enterprise infrastructure software, information worker software, content access software, educational software, simulation software, media development software and product engineering software.

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