Utility software is system software

System software

System software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide a platform for running application software.The most basic types of system software are:...

 designed to help analyze, configure, optimize or maintain a computer. A single piece of utility software is usually called a utility or tool.

Utility software usually focuses on how the computer infrastructure (including the computer hardware

Computer hardware

Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...

, operating system

Operating system

An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

, application software

Application software

Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...

 and data

Data (computing)

In computer science, data is information in a form suitable for use with a computer. Data is often distinguished from programs. A program is a sequence of instructions that detail a task for the computer to perform...

 storage) operates. Due to this focus, utilities are often rather technical and targeted at people with an advanced level of computer knowledge - in contrast to application software

Application software

Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...

, which allows users to do things like creating text documents, playing games, listening to music or viewing websites.

Utility software categories

• Anti-virus utilities scan for computer viruses.
• Backup
  Backup
  In information technology, a backup or the process of backing up is making copies of data which may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form is back up in two words, whereas the noun is backup....
  
  utilities can make a copy of all information stored on a disk, and restore either the entire disk (e.g. in an event of disk failure
  Hard disk failure
  In computing, a hard-disk failure occurs when a hard disk drive malfunctions and the stored information cannot be accessed with a properly configured computer...
  
  ) or selected files (e.g. in an event of accidental deletion).
• Data compression
  Data compression
  In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
  
  utilities output a shorter stream or a smaller file when provided with a stream or file.
• Disk checkers can scan the contents of a hard disk to find files or areas that are corrupted in some way, or were not correctly saved, and eliminate them for a more efficiently operating hard drive.
• Disk cleaners can find files that are unnecessary to computer operation, or take up considerable amounts of space. Disk cleaner helps the user
  User (computing)
  A user is an agent, either a human agent or software agent, who uses a computer or network service. A user often has a user account and is identified by a username , screen name , nickname , or handle, which is derived from the identical Citizen's Band radio term.Users are...
  
   to decide what to delete when their hard disk is full.
• Disk compression
  Disk compression
  A disk compression software utility increases the amount of information that can be stored on a hard disk drive of given size. Unlike a file compression utility which compresses only specified files - and which requires the user designate the files to be compressed - a disk compression utility...
  
  utilities can transparently compress
  Data compression
  In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
  
  /uncompress the contents of a disk, increasing the capacity of the disk.
• Disk defragmenters can detect computer file
  Computer file
  A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...
  
  s whose contents are broken across several locations on the hard disk
  Hard disk
  A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
  
  , and move the fragments to one location to increase efficiency.
• Disk partitions
  Disk partitioning
  Disk partitioning is the act of dividing a hard disk drive into multiple logical storage units referred to as partitions, to treat one physical disk drive as if it were multiple disks. Partitions are also termed "slices" for operating systems based on BSD, Solaris or GNU Hurd...
  
  can divide an individual drive into multiple logical drives, each with its own file system which can be mounted by the operating system and treated as an individual drive.
• Disk space analyzer
  Disk space analyzer
  A disk space analyzer is a software utility for the visualization of disk space usage by getting the size for each folder and files in a folder or drive...
  
  s for the visualization of disk space usage by getting the size for each folder (including sub folders) & files in folder or drive. showing the distribution of the used space.
• Disk storage
  Disk storage
  Disk storage or disc storage is a general category of storage mechanisms, in which data are digitally recorded by various electronic, magnetic, optical, or mechanical methods on a surface layer deposited of one or more planar, round and rotating disks...
  
  utilities
• Archive
  File archiver
  A file archiver is a computer program that combines a number of files together into one archive file, or a series of archive files, for easier transportation or storage...
  
  utilities output a stream or a single file when provided with a directory or a set of files. Archive utilities, unlike archive suites, usually do not include compression or encryption capabilities. Some archive utilities may even have a separate un-archive utility for the reverse operation.
• File manager
  File manager
  A file manager or file browser is a computer program that provides a user interface to work with file systems. The most common operations performed on files or groups of files are: create, open, edit, view, print, play, rename, move, copy, delete, search/find, and modify file attributes, properties...
  
  s provide a convenient method of performing routine data management tasks, such as deleting, renaming, cataloging, uncataloging, moving, copying, merging, generating and modifying data sets.
• Cryptographic
  Filesystem-level encryption
  Filesystem-level encryption, often called file or folder encryption, is a form of disk encryption where individual files or directories are encrypted by the file system itself...
  
  utilities encrypt and decrypt streams and files.
• Hex editor
  Hex editor
  A hex editor is a type of computer program that allows a user to manipulate the fundamental binary data that makes up computer files. Note that computer files can be very small to very large...
  
  s directly modify the text or data of a file. These files could be data or an actual program.
• Memory tester
  Memory tester
  Memory testers are specialized test equipment used to test and verify memory modules typically in SIMM or DIMM configurations. It detects functional failures of memory modules.- Types :...
  
  s check for memory failures.
• Network utilities
  Network utilities
  Network utilities are small software utilities designed to analyze and configure various aspects of computer networks. The majority of them originated on Unix systems, but several later ports to other operating systems exist....
  
  analyze the computer's network connectivity, configure network settings, check data transfer or log events.
• Registry cleaner
  Registry cleaner
  A registry cleaner is a type of software utility designed for the Microsoft Windows operating system, the purpose of which is to remove redundant or unwanted items from the Windows registry....
  
  s clean and optimize the Windows registry
  Windows registry
  The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user...
  
   by removing old registry keys that are no longer in use.
• Screensaver
  Screensaver
  A screensaver is a type of computer program initially designed to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use...
  
  s were desired to prevent phosphor burn-in
  Phosphor burn-in
  Screen burn-in, image burn-in or ghost image, colloquially known as screen burn or screen afterimage, is a permanent discoloration of areas on an electronic display such as a cathode ray tube display or computer display monitor or Television set caused by cumulative non-uniform usage of the...
  
   on CRT
  Cathode ray tube
  The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
  
   and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use. Contemporary screensavers are used primarily for entertainment or security.
• System monitor
  System monitor
  A system monitor is a hardware- or software- based system used to monitor resources and performance in a computer system.Software monitors occur more commonly, sometimes as a part of a widget engine. These monitoring systems are often used to keep track of system resources, such as CPU usage and...
  
  s for monitoring resources and performance in a computer system.
• System profiler
  System profiler
  A system profiler is a program that can provide detailed information about the software installed and hardware attached to the computer. Typically workstations and personal computers have had system profilers as a common feature since the mid-1990s....
  
  s provide detailed information about the software installed and hardware attached to the computer.