An operating system is the essential software that's needed to run your computer's suite of software. Everything from video games to web browsing, basic word processing, and more is down thanks to the OS, which provides a visual interface.
Depending on the hardware of your computer, your operating system could commonly be Microsoft Windows, Apple's macOS, Linux, or Google's ChromeOS. While there are others, these are four most common types of operating systems available in today's desktops and laptops.
