Unit 4: Software

4.1 Types of software and interrupts

1 Describe the difference between system software and application software and provide examples of each

2 Describe the role and basic functions of an operating system

3 Understand how hardware, firmware and an operating system are required to run applications software

4 Describe the role and operation of interrupts

4.2 Types of programming language, translators and integrated development environments (IDEs)

1 Explain what is meant by a high-level language and a low-level language, including the advantages and disadvantages of each

2 Understand that assembly language is a form of low-level language that uses mnemonics, and that an assembler is needed to translate an assembly language program into machine code

3 Describe the operation of a compiler and an interpreter, including how high-level language is translated by each and how errors are reported

4 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of a compiler and an interpreter

5 Explain the role of an IDE in writing program code and the common functions IDEs provide