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A computer driver is a type of software that acts as a translator, enabling the operating system and applications to communicate with a specific hardware device, such as a printer, graphics card, or mouse. It translates general commands from the OS into instructions the hardware can understand, and in turn, sends data and status messages from the device back to the computer. Without drivers, devices would not function, as the OS would not know how to interact with the hardware's "language".

How drivers work

Translator: A driver acts as an intermediary or translator between the operating system and the hardware. For example, a printer driver translates a command to "print this document" into the specific signals a particular printer model needs to receive.

Device-specific: Drivers are created for a specific operating system and hardware model, making them highly specialized. A driver for Windows will not work on macOS, and a driver for one model of graphics card will not work on another.

Hardware interaction: Drivers allow software to control hardware at a very fine-grained level, such as telling a graphics card to copy data from the computer's RAM to the GPU's RAM.

Updating and maintenance: Drivers are often updated by manufacturers to fix bugs, improve performance, or add new features. Users typically download and install these updates from the device manufacturer's website.