Application software is software that performs end-user tasks.

The idea

Software is classified by the job it does for the user. Application software performs end-user tasks: it lets a person create, communicate, calculate, browse or play, so the work is visible to the user. A word processor drafting a letter, a web browser loading a page, a spreadsheet totalling a budget and a photo editor cropping an image are all application software because each carries out a task the end user wants done. Contrast this with system software, which manages the computer itself (the operating system and utility programs) and supports the running of applications rather than doing the user's task directly. In a multiple-choice question, test each option by asking: does this program perform a task for the end user, or does it manage the hardware and provide a platform? The one that performs the end-user task is the application software.

What earns the marks

• Application software is defined as software that performs end-user tasks.
• A word processor is application software because it lets the user produce and edit documents.
• A web browser is application software because it lets the user access and view web pages.
• A spreadsheet is application software because it lets the user calculate and model data.
• System software such as the operating system manages the computer and is not application software.
• The key test is whether the program performs a task for the end user rather than managing the hardware.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Thinking any program installed on a computer is application software.

  Put it right: , the operating system is system software that manages the machine, not an end-user task.

• Confusing a utility such as a disk defragmenter with application software.

  Put it right: , utilities maintain the system and are classed as system software.

• Assuming application software must be a large suite.

  Put it right: , a single small app that performs an end-user task still counts as application software.

Exam tips

• Read each option and ask whether it performs a task for the end user or manages the computer itself.
• Eliminate options that describe the operating system or utilities before choosing.
• Check the wording of the definition: the deciding phrase is 'performs end-user tasks'.