Developer | Microsoft |
---|---|
Written in | C, C++, and Assembly language |
Working state | Current |
Source model | Closed source / Shared source |
Initial release | July 27, 1993 (as Windows NT 3.1) |
Latest release | 1607 (10.0.14393.729) (January 30, 2017 | )
Latest preview | 1704 (10.0.15046.0) (February 28, 2017 | )
Update method | Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services |
Platforms | IA-32, x86-64, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC, ARM, Itanium |
Kernel type | Hybrid |
Default user interface | Graphical (Windows shell) |
License | Depending on version, edition or customer choice: Trialware, commercial software, volume licensing, OEM-only, SaaS, S+S |
Official website | www |
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It is a processor-independent, multiprocessing, multi-user operating system.
The first version of Windows NT was Windows NT 3.1 and was produced for workstations and server computers. It was intended to complement consumer versions of Windows (including Windows 1.0 through Windows 3.1x) that were based on MS-DOS. Gradually, the Windows NT family was expanded into Microsoft's general-purpose operating system product line for all personal computers, deprecating the Windows 9x family.
"NT" was formerly expanded to "New Technology" but no longer carries any specific meaning. Starting with Windows 2000, "NT" was removed from the product name and is only included in the product version string.
NT was the first purely 32-bit version of Windows, whereas its consumer-oriented counterparts, Windows 3.1x and Windows 9x, were 16-bit/32-bit hybrids. It is a multi-architecture operating system. Initially, it supported several CPU architectures, including IA-32, MIPS, DEC Alpha, PowerPC and later Itanium. The latest versions support x86 (more specifically IA-32 and x64) and ARM. Major features of the Windows NT family include Windows Shell, Windows API, Native API, Active Directory, Group Policy, Hardware Abstraction Layer, NTFS, BitLocker, Windows Store, Windows Update, and Hyper-V.