There are two main parts of a computer: hardware and software. Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer like the central processing unit (CPU) and input/output devices. Software refers to the programs and operating systems that run on the hardware and allow it to perform tasks. A computer's memory, which can be RAM or ROM, is where data and instructions are stored and accessed by the CPU to carry out operations. An operating system manages the hardware and software resources and allows users to interact with the computer.