Editing Window (computing) (section)

{{short description|Visual area containing some kind of user interface}}
{{about|the interface element|the operating system|Microsoft Windows|other uses|Window (disambiguation)}}

In computing, a '''window''' is a [[Graphical widget|graphical control element]]. It consists of a visual area containing some of the [[graphical user interface]] of the program it belongs to and is framed by a [[#Window decoration|window decoration]]. It usually has a rectangular shape<ref name="ArsTechnica3">{{cite web |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |year=2005 |title=A History of the GUI (Part 3) |url=https://arstechnica.com/old/content/2005/05/gui.ars/3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908033153/https://arstechnica.com/old/content/2005/05/gui.ars/3 |archive-date=2009-09-08 |access-date=2009-09-14 |publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref> that can overlap with the area of other windows. It displays the ''output'' of and may allow ''input'' to one or more [[Process (computing)|processes]].

Windows are primarily associated with graphical displays, where they can be manipulated with a [[Pointer (graphical user interfaces)|pointer]] by employing some kind of [[pointing device]]. Text-only displays can also support windowing, as a way to maintain multiple independent display areas, such as multiple buffers in [[Emacs]]. Text windows are usually controlled by keyboard, though some also respond to the mouse.

A graphical user interface (GUI) using windows as one of its main "[[Interface metaphor|metaphors]]" is called a [[windowing system]], whose main components are the [[display server]] and the [[window manager]].