Windows

Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft for personal computers, tablets, embedded devices, and servers. It provides a graphical user interface, multitasking, and broad software and hardware compatibility. Since its early roots in the 1980s, Windows has evolved from a GUI shell around MS-DOS to a modular, multiprogramming platform with a large ecosystem of applications and drivers.

Windows 1.0 appeared in 1985, followed by successive iterations that introduced increasingly capable graphical environments. In 1993, Microsoft introduced the Windows NT line with a new, security-focused kernel. The consumer-focused Windows XP (2001) unified the consumer and business lines on the NT architecture, and subsequent releases—Vista (2007), Windows 7 (2009), Windows 8 (2012), and 8.1 (2013)—refined the interface and security. Windows 10, released in 2015, adopted a servicing model with ongoing feature updates. Windows 11, released in 2021, added a refreshed design, performance improvements, and a hardware requirement for TPM 2.0.

Core components include the Windows shell (File Explorer), Start menu, Taskbar, and Settings app, complemented by the file system NTFS, a centralized registry, and Windows Update for security and feature updates. The platform supports graphics with DirectX, development through the .NET framework and UWP, and subsystems such as Windows Subsystem for Linux. It also hosts a large ecosystem of apps via the Microsoft Store and supports broad driver and device compatibility.

Windows is proprietary software distributed under licensed agreements, with different editions and servicing timelines for consumer and enterprise users. It holds a dominant share in many desktop environments and features a wide range of security features, including User Account Control and built-in antivirus. The platform has faced ongoing scrutiny over privacy, security, and software bloat, but remains a central platform for personal and commercial computing through regular updates and broad software support.