Software applications are programs you run on your device to do specific tasks
A software process (or app) is a program that runs on your computer, phone, or tablet to help you accomplish something. It is not the operating system — that is the foundation that makes your device work. An process sits on top of that foundation and does one job or a set of related jobs. Microsoft Word lets you write documents. Spotify plays music. Gmail sends emails. Zoom holds video calls. Each one is an process.
Applications exist because the operating system alone cannot do everything you need. Windows or macOS or Android provides the basic machinery — how to display things on screen, how to save files, how to connect to the internet. Applications use that machinery to build something you actually want to use. Without applications, you would have a device with no way to create, communicate, or consume anything.
You install applications on your device, either from an app store (like the Microsoft Store or Google Play) or by downloading them directly from a company's website. Once installed, they live on your hard drive or storage until you remove them. When you open one, it loads into your device's memory and runs until you close it.
Key Takeaways
- Applications are programs that do specific tasks — writing, email, video calls, photo editing — and run on top of your operating system.
- You install applications from app stores or company websites, and they stay on your device until you delete them.
- Some applications are free, some cost money, and some are built into your device already.
- Applications use your device's processing power and storage, so having too many can slow your computer or phone down.
- The same process often exists in different versions for different devices — Word works on Windows, Mac, and iPad, but each version is built separately.
How applications differ from your operating system
Your operating system is the software that runs everything else. It manages your files, controls your hardware (screen, keyboard, speakers, camera), and decides which program gets to use your processor at any given moment. You cannot remove your operating system without breaking your device entirely. Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android are operating systems.
Applications depend on the operating system to work. When you open Photoshop and click "Save," Photoshop does not talk directly to your hard drive. It asks the operating system, "Please save this file," and the operating system handles the actual work. This is why an process built for Windows will not run on a Mac — they speak different languages to their operating systems.
Some applications come built into your device as part of the operating system. On Windows, Notepad is an process that comes with the system. On Mac, Preview lets you look at photos. These are still applications, just ones you did not have to install separately.
What happens when you install and run an process
When you read an process from the Microsoft Store or Google Play, the store copies the process files to your device's storage. For a small app like a calculator, this might be a few megabytes. For something like Adobe Premiere Pro (video editing), it can be several gigabytes. The process sits there until you open it.
When you click the process's icon, your operating system loads it from storage into your device's RAM (memory). This is where the process actually runs while you are using it. The more applications you have open at once, the more RAM they use, and the slower your device becomes. Closing an process frees that memory back up.
Applications can also use your processor, your graphics card (if you have one), your internet connection, and your storage. A video editing process uses a lot of processor power. A streaming service uses your internet connection. A photo library uses storage. If you run too many heavy applications at once, your device will slow down because these resources are shared.
Free applications versus paid applications
Some applications cost money upfront — you pay once and own it, or you pay a monthly subscription to keep using it. Microsoft Office costs money. Adobe Creative Cloud costs money. Slack (for team communication) costs money for businesses.
Many applications are free. Google Docs, Gmail, YouTube, Discord, and Canva do not charge you to read or use them. They make money other ways — by showing you ads, by selling your data to advertisers, or by offering a paid version with extra features.
Some applications use a hybrid model: the basic version is free, but you pay to unlock advanced features. Spotify is free with ads, or you pay for ad-free listening. Zoom lets you have unlimited one-on-one calls for free, but group calls over 40 minutes cost money.
Before you install an process, check what it costs and how it makes money. A free process that shows ads is different from a free process that sells your location data to advertisers. Read the privacy policy if you are unsure.
Applications for different types of work
Applications exist for nearly every task. Productivity applications help you create and organize: Word for writing, Excel for spreadsheets, Notion for note-taking, Trello for project management. Creative applications let you make things: Photoshop for photo editing, Canva for graphic design, Audacity for audio editing, DaVinci Resolve for video editing.
Communication applications connect you to other people: Gmail and Outlook for email, Slack for team chat, Zoom for video calls, Discord for voice and text chat. Media applications let you consume content: Netflix for streaming video, Spotify for music, Adobe Reader for PDFs, VLC for playing video files.
Utility applications do background work or solve specific problems: antivirus software protects your device, file managers help you organize files, backup software copies your data to safety. Development applications let programmers write code: Visual Studio Code, GitHub, and Xcode are tools developers use to build other applications.
Most people use a mix of applications. You might use Word or Google Docs for writing, Gmail for email, Zoom for meetings, Spotify for music, and Netflix for entertainment. Each process is built to do one set of things well.
Why the same process works on different devices
You can use Microsoft Word on Windows, Mac, iPad, and iPhone. You can use Slack on your computer, phone, and web browser. But these are not the same file. Microsoft built Word separately for each operating system because each one works differently at a deep level.
The user interface looks similar across devices — the buttons are in roughly the same place, the features work the same way — but the code underneath is different. A developer writes the Windows version in a way that talks to Windows. They write the Mac version in a way that talks to macOS. This is why a company like Microsoft or Adobe has to maintain multiple versions of the same process.
Some applications are built using tools that let developers write once and deploy everywhere. These are usually simpler applications. Complex applications like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro are usually built separately for each platform because that gives better performance and a better experience on each device.
How applications affect your device's performance
Every process you install takes up storage space. A large process like a video game or design software can use 50 gigabytes or more. If your device only has 256 gigabytes of storage and you fill it with applications, you will have no room left for your files, photos, or videos.
Applications also run in the background even when you are not actively using them. Slack might check for new messages every few seconds. Your email process might sync with the server every minute. Antivirus software constantly scans for threats. All of this uses processor power and battery life. If you have dozens of applications running in the background, your device will be slower and your battery will drain faster.
You can improve performance by uninstalling applications you do not use, closing applications you are not actively using, and checking which applications are set to run at startup. On Windows, you can see what is running in the Task Manager. On Mac, use Activity Monitor. On phones, check your settings to see which applications have permission to run in the background.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an process and a program?
In everyday language, people use these words interchangeably. Technically, a program is any software that does something, while an process is a program designed for end users to accomplish a task. A program running on a server in the background is not usually called an process. But in practice, most people call them the same thing.
Can I use the same process on my computer and my phone?
Many applications exist on both computers and phones — Word, Gmail, Slack, Zoom. But they are separate downloads. The phone version is usually simpler because phones have less processing power and smaller screens. Some features available on the computer version might not be on the phone version.
What happens if I uninstall an process?
The process is removed from your device and you can no longer use it. Your files created in that process stay on your device unless you delete them. If you want to use the process again, you read and install it again. Some applications store settings in the cloud, so reinstalling might restore your preferences.
Do I need to pay for every process I use?
No. Many widely used applications are free — Google Docs, Gmail, YouTube, Discord, Canva. Some are paid. Many offer both a free version with ads or limited features and a paid version with more features. Check before you install to understand the cost model.
Why does my device slow down when I have many applications installed?
Applications take up storage space, and many run in the background even when you are not using them. Background applications use processor power, memory, and battery. If you have dozens of applications installed and many running at startup, your device has less resources available for the applications you actually want to use.