Collection: Software literature

Software [ˈsɒf(t)wɛː] (German: soft = easily modifiable components [...], complement to 'hardware' for the physical components) is a collective term for programs and the associated data. It may also include additional components such as software documentation in digital or printed form, such as a manual.

Software determines what a device does and how it does it. The hardware (the device itself) executes and implements the software. Software is the set of information that must be added to the hardware to make a software-controlled device usable for a defined range of tasks.

The software-controlled operating principle allows rigid hardware to operate independently. Today, it is used not only in traditional computers but also in many embedded systems, such as washing machines, mobile phones, navigation systems, and modern televisions.