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An operating system (OS) course in computer science typically covers the fundamental

principles, design, and implementation of operating systems. Operating systems are


essential software that manage hardware resources and provide services to applications.
Here is an overview of the topics commonly covered in an OS course:

1. Introduction to Operating Systems:


 Definition and functions of an operating system.
 Historical perspective and evolution of operating systems.
2. Processes and Threads:
 Process management.
 Thread management and concurrency.
 Scheduling algorithms.
3. Memory Management:
 Memory hierarchy.
 Virtual memory and paging.
 Memory allocation and deallocation.
4. File Systems:
 File system organization and structure.
 File operations and directory structures.
 File system implementation.
5. I/O Systems:
 Device management.
 I/O operations and buffering.
 Disk scheduling.
6. Security and Protection:
 Access control and authentication.
 Security policies and mechanisms.
 Threats and vulnerabilities.
7. Distributed Systems:
 Basics of distributed computing.
 Distributed file systems and communication.
 Distributed process coordination.
8. Concurrency and Parallelism:
 Parallel processing and parallel architectures.
 Concurrency control and synchronization.
9. Kernel Design and Implementation:
 Monolithic vs. microkernel architectures.
 Kernel modules and services.
10. Case Studies:
 Examination of real-world operating systems, such as Linux, Windows, or macOS.
 Comparative analysis of different operating system designs.
11. Practical Assignments and Projects:
 Implementation of simple operating system components.
 Hands-on projects related to process management, memory management, and
file systems.
12. System Calls and APIs:
 Understanding system calls and their role.
 Application programming interfaces (APIs) for interacting with the operating
system.

The course may include both theoretical concepts and practical implementation aspects.
Students may be required to work on assignments, projects, and possibly even develop
small parts of an operating system. Understanding operating systems is crucial for
computer science students, as it provides insights into how software interacts with
hardware and the overall management of computational resources.

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