Software is a collection of instructions that enables users to communicate with a computer's hardware and carry out activities. Software is essential to computers. For instance, you couldn't view this website or visit the Internet without an Internet browser, and a browser can't function without an operating system. A computer programmer uses a programming language to create instructions. These guidelines inform the software what to do and how to move forward. When a program is finished, it is compiled into a language the computer can understand and use.