b.2.3 applications software
From writing essays to browsing the web. Explore the software you use every day, the difference between apps and system software, and the rules of open source licensing.
This is the stuff you actually use. While the OS runs the computer, Application Software (or "apps") helps you do things. Whether you are writing a story in a Word Processor, crunching numbers in a Spreadsheet, or watching a streamer in a Web Browser, you are using an app. But not all software is created equal. We’ll look at the difference between Proprietary software (where the code is a locked secret, like Windows) and Open Source software (where the code is free for anyone to change, like Linux). We also check out the legal stuff: software licences and why you can't just copy everything you find.
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Application software represents the primary interface through which humans harness computational power to achieve productive tasks. This progression maps the pedagogical journey from a foundational awareness of different 'apps' in Key Stage 1, through to the sophisticated evaluation of enterprise licensing, open-source ecosystems, and cross-application data sharing at Key Stage 5. By explicitly linking theoretical concepts - such as cloud computing and API integration - to hands-on procedural tasks, students develop the practical software fluency required to thrive in modern digital workplaces.
Last modified: March 20th, 2026
