Features of Unix Operating System
Unix is a comprehensive Operating System with a number of characteristics and capabilities. Various reasons have been identified for the success and popularity of the Unix System.
Unix operating system is written in the "C" language that makes it simpler to understand, read, update and port to another machines.
Multi-user OS
Multi-user refers to an OS which permits multiple users to use the system concurrently. The theory of multi-user system is to approach 100% percent computer utilization although decreasing the cost per user. The single user cannot use the printer, memory, disk or CPU 100 percent of the time. But multiple users can raise the use of these devices and resources through having an Operating System which manages the resources for them.
Multi-tasking system
Multitasking refers to an Operating System which executes multiple tasks concurrently. Unix refers to a task as a procedure. A user can run various commands in the background although executing another command in the foreground. Whenever a background task is being executed then the user can continue doing another task example for printing a huge document can be performed in the background although editing some other document in the foreground.
Portability
Unix is widely portable. The Portability is the ability of the software which operates on one machine to operate as efficiently on another and different machine.
Job Control
Job Control on Unix refers to the ability to control that job is to be executed in the foreground and background or suspended. By using Job control to be the productivity of a user can be used through permitting multiple tasks to be juggled back and forth among, foreground suspended states and background.
Hierarchical Structure
Unix uses a hierarchical structure to maintain and store files. This structure permits maximum flexibility for storing data to resemble its real life structure. A Multiple users might be grouped via corporate departments. An individual user, you might group the data through subject or project.
Unix Shell
The shell is an extremely dynamic and powerful Unix utility. That is the main interface to the Operating System (Kernel). It can be interactively programmed or used to write scripts which help to solve easy to complex problems.
Pipes and Filters
It contributes to the power of Unix. Pipes and Filters enable various commands or utilities to be combined to perform a complex functions.
Device Independence
Unix system considers all the devices which are connected to it as files. Unix hides the machine architecture from the user and makes it simpler to write programs which run on various hardware implementations.
System Security:
Being a multi-user OS, Unix offers protection to one user's information from other users. System Security maintains a list of users who are permitted to access the system and keeps track of the resources and files in which each user is authorized to use.
Communication
The Unix system has various built in programs, which enable the user to communicate, transfer files across various Unix systems and among Unix and the other Operating system.