A
software system is a
systemSystem is a set of interacting or interdependent entities forming an integrated whole....
based on software forming part of a computer system (a combination of
hardwareA personal computer is made up of multiple physical components of computer hardware, upon which can be installed an operating system and a multitude of software to perform the operator's desired functions.-Typical PC hardware:...
and software). The term
software system is often used as a synonym of
computer programComputer programs are instructions for a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute the instructions...
or software. The term
software system is related to the application of
systems theorySystems theory is an interdisciplinary theory about the nature of complex systems in nature, society, and science, and is a framework by which one can investigate and/or describe any group of objects that work together to produce some result. This could be a single organism, any organization or...
approaches in
software engineeringSoftware engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software....
context. This approach is often used to study large and complex software, because it focuses on the major
components of software and their
interactions.
A
software system is a
systemSystem is a set of interacting or interdependent entities forming an integrated whole....
based on software forming part of a computer system (a combination of
hardwareA personal computer is made up of multiple physical components of computer hardware, upon which can be installed an operating system and a multitude of software to perform the operator's desired functions.-Typical PC hardware:...
and software). The term
software system is often used as a synonym of
computer programComputer programs are instructions for a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute the instructions...
or software. The term
software system is related to the application of
systems theorySystems theory is an interdisciplinary theory about the nature of complex systems in nature, society, and science, and is a framework by which one can investigate and/or describe any group of objects that work together to produce some result. This could be a single organism, any organization or...
approaches in
software engineeringSoftware engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software....
context. This approach is often used to study large and complex software, because it focuses on the major
components of software and their
interactions. The term
software system is also related to the field of
software architectureThe software architecture of a program or computing system is the structure or structures of the system, which comprise software components, the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them. The term also refers to documentation of a system's software...
.
Major categories of software systems include
application softwareApplication software is a computer program that functions and is operated by means of a computer, with the purpose of supporting or improving the software user's work. In other words, it is the subclass of computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a...
, programming software and
system softwareSystem software is closely related to, but distinct from Operating System software. It is any computer software that provides the infrastructure over which programs can operate, i.e. it manages and controls computer hardware so that application software can perform...
, although the distinction can sometimes be difficult. Examples of software systems include
computer reservations systemA computer reservations system is a computerized system used to store and retrieve information and conduct transactions related to air travel. Originally designed and operated by airlines, CRSes were later extended for the use of travel agents; major CRS operations that book and sell tickets for...
,
air traffic controlAir traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
software, military command and control systems, telecommunication networks,
web browserA web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s,
content management systemA content management system such as a document management system is a computer application used to manage work flow needed to collaboratively create, edit, review, index, search, publish and archive various kinds of digital media and electronic text.CMSs are frequently used for storing,...
s,
database management systemA Database Management System is a set of computer programs that controls the creation, maintenance, and the use of the database in a computer platform or of an organization and its end users. It allows organizations to place control of organization-wide database development in the hands of...
s,
expert systemAn expert system is software that attempts to provide an answer to a problem, or clarify uncertainties where normally one or more human experts would need to be consulted. Expert systems are most common in a specific problem domain, and is a traditional application and/or subfield of artificial...
s,
spreadsheetA spreadsheet is a computer application that simulates a paper worksheet. It displays multiple cells that together make up a grid consisting of rows and columns, each cell containing either alphanumeric text or numeric values...
s, theorem provers, window systems,
word processorA word processor is a computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material....
s, etc. Software systems are an active area of research for groups interested in
software engineeringSoftware engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software....
in particular and
systems engineeringSystems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more difficult when dealing with large, complex...
in general.
The
Journal of Systems and SoftwareThe Journal of Systems and Software is a computer science journal in the area of software systems, founded in 1979 and published by Elsevier....
covers software systems in a software engineering context.
See also
- systems theory
Systems theory is an interdisciplinary theory about the nature of complex systems in nature, society, and science, and is a framework by which one can investigate and/or describe any group of objects that work together to produce some result. This could be a single organism, any organization or...
- software
- computer program
Computer programs are instructions for a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute the instructions...
- software architecture
The software architecture of a program or computing system is the structure or structures of the system, which comprise software components, the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them. The term also refers to documentation of a system's software...
- Experimental software engineering
Experimental software engineering is a sub-domain of software engineering focusing on experiments on software systems . It is interested in devising experiments on software, in collecting data from these experiments, and in devising laws and theories from this data...
- System software
System software is closely related to, but distinct from Operating System software. It is any computer software that provides the infrastructure over which programs can operate, i.e. it manages and controls computer hardware so that application software can perform...
- Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery, or ACM, is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
- Software System Award
- Common layers in an information system logical architecture
The following four layers are the most common layers in a logical Multilayered architecture for an information system with an Object-oriented design:* User Interface Layer...
- Failure assessment
Failure assessment, as used in the context of software systems design, is the science of determining the circumstances under which a particular algorithm fails and then correcting the cause. It is directly related to the notion of algorithm accuracy, robustness, and reliability....
External links
- Journal of Systems and Software published by Elsevier
Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the United Kingdom, USA and elsewhere.-Origins:...
Software systems groups
- Software Systems Engineering group, University College London
University College London is a British university institution and a constituent college of the University of London, based primarily in Bloomsbury, London...
, EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- Software Systems & Processes Group, University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh founded in 1582, is an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. It is the sixth university to be established in the British Isles, making it one of the ancient universities of the United Kingdom.The university is amongst the...
, ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- Software System Laboratory, Technion, Israel
Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
- Software Systems Group, University of Passau
The University of Passau is a public research university located in Passau, Lower Bavaria, Germany. Founded in 1978, it is the youngest university in Bavaria and has therefore the most modern campus in the state...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
- Institute of Software Systems, Tampere University of Technology
Tampere University of Technology is Finland's second largest university in engineering sciences. The university is located in Hervanta, a suburb of Tampere....
, FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
- Software Systems Quality Consulting (SSQC), an SEI
The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute is a federally funded research and development center headquartered on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. SEI also has offices in Arlington, Virginia, and Frankfurt, Germany. The SEI operates...
Partner, San JoseSan Jose or San José is the third-largest city in California and the tenth-largest in the United States. The county seat of Santa Clara County, it is located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region commonly referred to as Silicon Valley...
, USA
- Software Systems Engineering Initiative