In graphical user interface

Graphical user interface

In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...

s, a single document interface or SDI is a method of organizing graphical user interface applications into individual windows that the operating system

Operating system

An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

's window manager

Window manager

A window manager is system software that controls the placement and appearance of windows within a windowing system in a graphical user interface. Most window managers are designed to help provide a desktop environment...

 handles separately. Each window contains its own menu or tool bar, and does not have a "background" window or "parent" window containing its menu or tool bar. Applications which allow the editing of more than one document at a time, e.g. word processor

Word processor

A word processor is a computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material....

s, may therefore give the user the impression that more than one instance of an application is open.

Often, each window is represented as an individual entry in the operating system's task bar or manager. Some task managers summarize windows of the same application. For example, Mac OS X

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

 uses a feature called Exposé

Exposé (Mac OS X)

Exposé is a feature of the Mac OS X operating system. First previewed on 23 June 2003 at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference as a feature of the then forthcoming Mac OS X v10.3, Exposé allows a user to quickly locate an open window, or to hide all windows and show the desktop without the need...

 which allows the user to temporarily see all windows belonging to a particular application.

See also

• Graphical user interface
  Graphical user interface
  In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
  
  
• Comparison of document interface
  Comparison of document interface
  The following table compares general and technical information for document interfaces.- See also :*Tabbed document interface#Comparison_to_SDI*Tabbed document interface#Comparison_to_MDI*Multiple document interface#Compared_to_single_document_interface...
  
  
• Multiple document interface
  Multiple document interface
  Graphical computer applications with a multiple document interface are those whose windows reside under a single parent window , as opposed to all windows being separate from each other . Such systems often allow child windows to embed other windows inside them as well, creating complex nested...
  
  
• Tabbed document interface
• IDE-style interface