Windows 8 is an operating system developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012, and was made generally available on October 26, 2012.

Key Features of Windows 8:

1. Metro UI: Windows 8 introduced a new user interface called Metro (now known as Modern UI), which features a tile-based Start screen. These tiles can display real-time updates from apps, making it easier for users to access information at a glance.

2. Touch-Optimized: Windows 8 was designed with touchscreens in mind, making it suitable for both traditional desktops and touchscreen devices like tablets. The operating system supports gestures such as swiping, pinching, and tapping for navigation.

3. Charms Bar: Windows 8 introduced the Charms bar, a menu that can be accessed by swiping from the right edge of the screen or by pressing Windows + C. The Charms bar provides quick access to system settings, search, sharing options, and more.

4. Windows Store: With Windows 8, Microsoft introduced the Windows Store, a digital distribution platform where users can download and install apps. This made it easier for developers to distribute and monetize their apps.

5. Improved Task Manager: Windows 8 featured an updated Task Manager that provides more detailed information about running processes, performance statistics, and startup programs. It also introduced a new Startup tab, making it easier to manage startup applications.

6. Fast Boot: Windows 8 introduced a feature called Fast Boot (or Hybrid Boot), which significantly reduced the boot time by saving the system state to a hibernation file upon shutdown. This allowed for quicker startup times compared to previous versions of Windows.

7. SkyDrive Integration: Windows 8 integrated Microsoft's cloud storage service, SkyDrive (now known as OneDrive), allowing users to easily store and access files across devices.

8. Security Enhancements: Windows 8 included various security enhancements such as Secure Boot, which helps prevent unauthorized operating systems from loading during the boot process, and Windows Defender, a built-in antivirus program.