An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Operating systems are found on many devices that contain a computer – from cellular phones and video game consoles to web servers and supercomputers.
System software is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer's hardware and application programs. ... The operating system is the best-known example of system software. The OS manages all the other programs in a computer. System software is used to manage the computer itself.