What type of operating system allows users to run applications locally on personal computers?

A workstation operating system is specifically designed to enable users to run applications locally on personal computers. This type of operating system is optimized for use on desktop and laptop devices, providing a graphical user interface and robust functionality that makes it ideal for individual users. It typically supports a wide array of productivity applications, games, and other software that can be executed directly on the hardware without the need for a network connection.

In contrast, a server operating system is tailored for managing server hardware and is optimized to handle a multitude of requests from network clients. This usually includes background services and functions that are not intended for local user interaction.

A network operating system facilitates the management of networked resources, allowing multiple computers to share files and printers, but it does not primarily focus on running applications locally on individual machines.

Mainframe operating systems are designed for high-capacity computing environments and are used to manage vast amounts of data and support large numbers of simultaneous users, often in a centralized manner, which does not align with typical local application execution on personal computers.