What Application is

Used interchangeably with program and software, this is a general term for a program that performs specific tasks, such as word processing, database management, e-mail sending or retrieval, or Web browsing. Unlike system software, which maintains and organizes the computer system (such as the operating system), an app is an end-user program.

The meaning of Hardware

The electronic components, boards, peripherals, and computer equipment that make up a computer system (as opposed to the software, which tells these components what to do).