Hardware and Software are the two main components of a computer system.
| Hardware | Software |
|---|---|
| Physical parts of a computer that you can touch. | Programs and instructions that tell the hardware what to do. |
| Tangible (has physical form). | Intangible (cannot be touched). |
| Manufactured components. | Developed by programmers. |
| Can wear out or break physically. | Can have bugs, be updated, or become corrupted. |
| Examples: CPU, RAM, keyboard, monitor, hard drive. | Examples: Operating systems, web browsers, games, mobile apps. |
Examples
Hardware
5
- CPU (processor)
- RAM (memory)
- Hard disk / SSD
- Motherboard
- Keyboard and mouse
- Monitor
Software
- Operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Web browsers such as Google Chrome
- Mobile apps such as WhatsApp
- Games and productivity software
Relationship Between Hardware and Software
Think of hardware as the body and software as the brain/instructions:
- Hardware provides the physical resources.
- Software tells the hardware how to use those resources.
- Neither is very useful without the other.
Example: When you type a document:
- The word processor software receives your input.
- The CPU and RAM (hardware) process the data.
- The monitor (hardware) displays the document.
- The file is stored on a hard drive or SSD (hardware).
In one sentence:
Hardware = physical components; Software = programs and instructions that run on those components.
