Characteristics of Internal Commands
- Resident in memory: Internal commands are loaded into memory during system startup and remain there until the system is shut down.
- Fast execution: Because they don’t require loading a separate program, internal commands typically execute much faster than external commands.
- Limited functionality: Internal commands are generally designed for basic tasks like file management, directory navigation, and system configuration. For more complex functionality, external commands are typically required.
What is an Internal Command?
DOS Commands are important instructions for managing files and directories in Windows. They’re case-insensitive and follow the 8-dot format for file names. Each file has a primary name (up to 8 characters) and a secondary name (up to 4 characters with a dot). Common secondary names include .txt for text files, .com for command files, .sys for system files, and so on.
Special characters like < > , . / * ? | & Space are not allowed in file or directory names.
Internal commands are integral to Windows, embedded in the command.com file, and easily accessible. They’re important for smooth operation and are always available, whereas external commands are effective tools that can fix issues, enhance performance, and perform different actions. They’re stored individually from internal commands to reduce system load. You can add external commands to Windows by copying their files to your computer when needed.