What Is A Software Suite?

Date First Published: 20th September 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Software

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 4/10

Learn about what a software suite is in this article.

A software suite, also known as an application suite, or a productivity suite, is a collection of two or more computer programs of similar functionality and user interfaces that integrate with each other to easily exchange files and data. Although the functionality of each program may be completely different, all the programs share a similar theme.

A software suite is usually delivered within a single executable file. When the executable file is run, the install wizard will start and will display the terms and conditions and allow users to customise which programs they want installed. Depending on the size of the software programs, the installation process can take over an hour. Some software suites, like Google Productivity Suite may be completely web-based and not require users to install anything on their computers.

Examples Of Software Suites

Some well-known examples of software suites are:

• Microsoft Office - Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, and other programs, depending on the version.
• Google Productivity Suite - Includes Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and more.
• OpenOffice Suite - Includes text editing (Writer), spreadsheets (Calc), presentation (Impress), drawing (Draw), a formula editor (Math), and a database management application (Base).
• Adobe Creative Cloud Suite - Includes Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, InDesign, and more.
• CorelDRAW Graphics Suite - Includes an all-in-one vector illustration, layout, and photo editing toolbox and compatibility with graphics from other programs like Photoshop.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Software Suites

• They are usually cheaper than buying each program separately. This makes them a more cost-effective option when deciding to buy programs of a similar theme.
• Since the programs are developed by the same creators, the features between the programs in the suite, like the file types, are highly compatible with each other.
• Since the GUIs in the programs are similar, it is easier to learn how to use the different programs and requires less training.

• Compared to individual programs, software suites often take up a lot of disk space, sometimes several gigabytes. This becomes a program with systems that have a limited disk space.
• Not all purchased features are always used by the user. This can lead to some users wasting money on paying for features they will never use. Therefore, it may be more cost-effective to buy an individual software program that fulfils the needs of the user if they know that they will never use some of the features.

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