What is a icon in computer?

Whenever you open your computer, then you definitely see many small pictures on the desktop. Like 'My Computer, Recycle Bin, My Network etc.', we call it the icon.

We will know the complete information about the icon, what are the icons in the computer? What are the types of icons? What is the history of icons?

What is a icon in computer?

Icons in a computer are a graphical object and those graphical objects represent a program and a location inside the computer.

For example, if you open the My Computer icon in the computer, it will give you access to Windows Explorer.

If you open the recycle bin, that icon will take you to the location of the recycle bin.

Any icon represents something or the other and with the help of the icon, you can go anywhere inside the computer, but you have to make an icon where you want to go.

History of Icon

Earlier, the operating systems of computers were of the type of Character User Interface (CUI), then in 1985 Microsoft's Windows 1.0 operating system came. Windows 1.0 was a type of graphical user interface (GUI) and this is what started the icon.

In character user interface type of operating system, we could run something by writing commands only with the help of keyboard, then graphical user interface type of operating system started coming, then we could control everything with the help of mouse and icon also started.

Types of icons

There are also types of icons such as system icons, program icons, shortcut icons.

System Icon: System icons are those which are made by the computer itself and when we delete the system icon, we should do it carefully because it can cause some loss. With the help of the system icon, we can run the things of the system.

Program Icon: An icon of any program you install in the computer is created, we call it the program icon. As if you installed a game or software, it has an icon, we call it a program icon. Click on that icon, you will go to that program.

Shortcut Icon: A shortcut icon is a duplicate icon of a folder, program, or something. There is a difference between shortcut icons and original icons. The original icon looks the same but a small arrow appears below the duplicate icon.

I hope you have got the complete information about what the icons are in the computer.