driverssoftware
Driver software, also called device drivers, is software that enables an operating system to communicate with hardware peripherals. It acts as an intermediary, translating generic I/O requests from higher-level software into device-specific commands and handling data transfer, interrupts, DMA, and power management. By isolating hardware details, drivers allow the same OS to support a wide range of devices without needing to embed hardware logic in every application.
Drivers can operate in kernel mode or user mode, depending on system design. Kernel-mode drivers run with
Distribution and installation vary by platform. Drivers may be provided with an operating system, bundled with
Maintenance and issues: drivers can cause compatibility problems, performance degradation, or system instability if they are
Licensing and availability: driver software may be closed-source, proprietary, or open-source, with Linux and other platforms