What is the main purpose of task scheduling in an operating system?

Task scheduling in an operating system is fundamentally about managing the execution of processes and threads. The operating system needs to ensure that multiple tasks can run efficiently, especially when they share system resources like the CPU. By implementing task scheduling, it can decide which process or thread gets to use the CPU at any given time and for how long, balancing system performance and responsiveness.

This involves various algorithms that determine the order of execution, prioritizing certain tasks over others based on specific criteria (like time-slices, priority levels, or resource requirements). Effective task scheduling optimizes CPU usage, minimizes wait times for processes, and improves overall system efficiency. Therefore, it is crucial for multitasking environments where numerous applications may be running simultaneously, ensuring that each gets appropriate processing time without significant delays.

The other options focus on different functions of the operating system, such as memory management, user interface design, and file storage, which are important but do not pertain directly to the essence of scheduling tasks for execution.