Embedded systems are designed to do specific tasks. These systems are not general-purpose computers for multiple tasks. The systems designed are hitech in technology and some of them also have real-time performance in regards to constraints which must be met, for reason such as safety and usability. Some others may have low or no performance requirements, which makes the system hardware more simplified and reduce costs.

These systems need not always be separate devices or hardware. Most often they are physically built-in to the devices they control.

The softwares written for a embedded systems is called firmware, and is stored in read-only memory or Flash memory chips rather than a disk drive. It often runs with limited computer hardware resources: small or no keyboard, screen, and little memory.

Embedded systems are more hardware oriented designed systems.