Peripheral Management

Peripheral management is the operating system function that controls the input and output devices attached to a computer.

Peripherals are the devices that send data into the computer or receive data from it, such as a keyboard, mouse, webcam, printer or speaker. Each type of device works in its own way, so the operating system has to coordinate them all. This is not the same as managing files stored on a USB stick; peripheral management is about controlling the devices themselves.

Managing device drivers

A device driver is a small program that tells the operating system exactly how to communicate with one particular device. The operating system manages these drivers: it loads the correct driver when a device is connected, makes sure the right driver is used for each device, and handles any conflicts between devices. Without a suitable driver, the computer cannot use the device properly.

Handling communication

The operating system also handles the communication between each device and the computer. It takes data from an input device and passes it to the right program, and it sends data from a program to an output device. It can hold data temporarily while a device is busy, so the processor can carry on with other work instead of waiting.

For example, when you connect a new printer, the operating system detects it and loads its driver. When you print a document, the operating system sends the data to the printer at a speed the printer can manage, holding the rest of the data safely until the printer is ready. Meanwhile, your computer can keep responding to the keyboard and mouse because the operating system is managing all the peripherals at once.