An operating system manages computer hardware resources and provides an interface between users and applications. It controls hardware, allocates memory and storage space, manages files, handles input/output between hardware and applications, provides security, and interprets commands. The main goals of an operating system are to make the computer convenient for users and efficiently use hardware resources. Common operating systems include those for mainframes, personal computers, distributed systems, real-time systems, and more specialized operating systems. Operating systems perform essential functions like process management, memory management, file management, input/output management, secondary storage management, and more.