JavaScript simulation of memory management in operating systems

Abstract

In order to gain a full understanding of computer systems, it is important to study the way operating systems interact with physical components, as well as software. However, certain concepts can be difficult to teach to students in an abstract manner. While allowing students to apply such concepts can benefit their understanding, both lecturers and students often find difficulty finding a solution that is both effective and easy to implement. In this Final Year Project, an educational tool is implemented which aims to demonstrate different memory management concepts and algorithms to students. This tool simulates such concepts in a visual manner to be used in conjunction with traditional teaching methods involving lectures and textbook explanations. The tool developed is web-based, being implemented using JavaScript and other libraries, meaning that minimal set up is necessary to use the system. No installation or special hardware and software requirements are necessary as students already have access to a web browser. The tool allows the option for defining configurations of the process size and instructions to be executed through the simulation itself. These configurations can be loaded into the system, allowing lecturers to prepare examples from beforehand which can be loaded by students for their own experimentation. Students may also create their own examples should they wish to explore concepts in further detail. Students were supplied the tool developed for testing purposes, and their feedback was collected. Through this, their overall opinion of the tool was determined, particularly with how beneficial the tool would be if used in conjunction with the current lecturing environment.