Different Between Hardware, Software, and firmware

1. Note-3
Different Between Hardware,
Software, and firmware.
Course Title: Computer Networks Theory
Course Code: CSE 317
Submitted To
Pranab Bandhu Nath
Senior Lecturer, Department Of
CSE City University, Dhaka
Submitted By
Md. Alif Khan Rifat
ID: 1834902518
BSc in CSE (Day)
Batch: 49th

2. Different Between Hardware, Software and firmware.
A computer or a network device or electronic device consists of two main components as hardware and
software. Hardware refers to the physical components of the device. Software is a set of instructions
that can perform a specific task. There are various types of software. Firmware is a special type of
software that is specifically designed to handle hardware or electronic devices.
Hardware:
Hardware is a collection of instruments. In other words, hardware is the physical part of the
computer and software is the logical part of the computer. They're interconnected, meaning
hardware cannot be used without software and software cannot be used without hardware.
Hardware is compared to the human body. And you can compare software to human life.
Hardware example: Cable, router, mouse, keyboard, monitor, etc.
Software:
As we know what a computer is a machine that cannot do anything without instructions from
the user. In order to do any specific job, we have to give a sequence of instructions to the
computer. This set of instructions in a proper sequence is called a computer program. Software
refers to the set of computer programs that cause the hardware to function in the desired
manner. Hardware means the physical components of the computer system. We can say that
hardware which cannot perform any calculation, comparison, or manipulation without being

3. instructed to do so. These instructions play a vital role in the performance of a computer. A
complete set of instructions written to solve a problem on a computer is called software. There
are mainly two types of software as system software and application software.
System Software:
System Software is the type of software that is the interface between application
software and system. Low-level languages are used to write the system software.
System Software maintains the system resources and gives the path for application
software to run. An important thing is that without system software, the system cannot
run. It is general-purpose software.

4. Application software:
Application Software is a program that does real work for the user. It is mostly created
to perform a specific task for a user. Application Software acts as a mediator between
the end-user and System Software. It is also known as an application package.
Firmware:
Firmware is a specific type or subset of software that is designed to act as the intermediary
between the software and hardware or for the operation of single-purpose embedded systems,
such as printers or routers. End users typically have limited interaction with firmware and it is
modified infrequently.

5. Software is the most temporary and malleable. Firmware is semi-permanent software that’s tied more
directly to the hardware and updated less often, while the hardware is the physical components
themselves. These are the most permanent.
References:
https://pediaa.com/difference-between-firmware-and-software/#Firmware
https://www.guru99.com/difference-system-software-application-software.html
https://www.nielit.gov.in/gorakhpur/sites/default/files/Gorakhpur/olevel_1_ittnb_b3_03april20_AKT.p
df
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/difference-between-system-software-and-application-software
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