What is a primary characteristic of a service program?

A primary characteristic of a service program is that it performs common, subordinate functions in user programs. This definition highlights the nature of service programs, which are often designed to provide support functionality that can be utilized by other applications. For instance, service programs frequently handle tasks such as data management, input/output operations, and system resource management, allowing user programs to focus on higher-level application logic without needing to reinvent the wheel for these common functionalities.

The role of service programs enhances modularity and reusability in software design, making it easier for developers to build applications efficiently. By offloading routine functions to service programs, the user programs can operate more effectively, leading to better performance and easier maintenance.