How does the operating system handle device management?

The operating system manages device operations primarily by maintaining a database of device drivers. Device drivers are specialized software components that allow the operating system and applications to communicate with hardware devices. Each type of hardware requires a specific driver to function correctly, as it translates the OS's general requests into a language the hardware can understand.

This database of device drivers enables the operating system to facilitate the interaction between the hardware and software seamlessly. When a new device is connected, the OS checks this database to find the suitable driver, ensuring that the hardware can be utilized effectively without requiring constant user intervention to manage connections.

Other options do not effectively represent how device management is conducted by the operating system. A graphical interface may present options and settings for device management but does not handle the underlying communication or data translation with the devices themselves. A database of app simulations does not pertain to device management and lacks relevance to actual hardware operation. Allowing direct user access to hardware without an abstraction layer creates complexity and increases the risk of errors or conflicts, which the device driver system is designed to prevent. Thus, maintaining a database of device drivers is the correct and fundamental approach for effective device management in an operating system.