Software

Set of instructions that directs a computer to perform tasks.

software programs computer software

A collection of instructions and data that tell a computer how to perform specific tasks, including operating systems, applications, and programs.

/ˈsɒftweər/

Derived from 'soft' to indicate that it is not physical hardware.

Software is like a recipe for computers, telling them exactly what to do to play games, write documents, or browse the internet.

What is software? It's a set of instructions for computers
What does it do? It enables computers to perform specific tasks
How is it different from hardware? Hardware is the physical parts of a computer, while software is the code that runs on it

program application code

computer science technology

operating system application software firmware

source code algorithms data structures

computer system digital technology

computational digital functional