The main purpose of an operating system (OS) is to serve as an intermediary between the user and the computer hardware, managing hardware resources and providing a stable environment for application execution. Specifically, it:

• Manages the computer's hardware resources such as the CPU, memory, disk drives, and peripheral devices, allocating these resources efficiently among multiple applications and users to ensure smooth operation and prevent conflicts

• Provides a user interface (either graphical or command-line) that allows users to interact with the computer without needing to understand the complex details of the hardware

• Offers an abstraction layer that hides the complexity of hardware from application programs, enabling software to run on different hardware without modification by providing standardized services and virtualization such as virtual memory

• Controls and coordinates the execution of applications, handling process scheduling, memory management, input/output operations, and error handling to maintain system stability and security

In summary, the operating system's main purpose is to manage hardware resources, provide a user-friendly interface, and create an environment where applications can run efficiently and securely without direct hardware management by the user or software developers