Final answer:
HAL, or Hardware Abstraction Layer, is designed with portability as a key requirement, enabling software to run on different architectures and platforms with minimal modification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is A) HAL. In computers, a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) is a layer of programming that allows a computer OS to interact with a hardware device at a general or abstract level rather than at a detailed hardware level. A key design requirement for HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) is portability to different architectures and platforms with minimal effort. It acts as an intermediary between the system's hardware and software, providing a consistent platform for applications even if the underlying hardware changes.
This is critical in systems where software must run across various hardware architectures without necessitating significant changes to the software. Portability is a significant concern for HAL, which is designed to abstract hardware differences and allow software developers to write more general and reusable code.