An application (or application program) is a program whose purpose is to perform user tasks. Typically, applications use the operating system to access computer resources.
There is the following classification of applications according to their type:
- general purpose;
- special purpose;
- professional level.
General-purpose applications include:
- graphic editor;
- text editors;
- systems for computer layout;
- database management systems (DBMS).
Special purpose applications include:
- multimedia applications (for creating or editing audio and sound, players, etc.);
- expert systems;
- hypertext systems (eg help systems and dictionaries);
- content management systems (CMS).
Professional grade applications include:
- computer-aided design systems (CAD);
- automated workstations (AWP);
- automated control systems (ACS);
- automated control systems for the technical process (ACS TP);
- billing systems;
- geographic information systems;
- customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
According to the scope of application, applications are subdivided into software:
- organizations and enterprises, as well as their individual subdivisions;
- enterprise infrastructure (e-mail servers, DBMS, etc.);
- information worker (serve to meet the needs of a particular user);
- access to content (for example, browsers, multimedia players, etc.);
- educational (they are used to test knowledge);
- simulation (simulation of any systems for scientific and educational purposes, or for entertainment);
- for working with media (layout programs, audio, video and image editors, polygraphy processing programs, HTML editors, etc.);
- design and engineering (used in the development of software and hardware).
