Software can also apply for invention patents, mainly to protect some special effects. The source program of computer software itself is not protected by China's patent law, but the methods contained in the software can apply for method invention patents, and if the hardware carrying the software and the hardware used with the software are novel and creative, they can also apply for utility model patents or invention patents.
As for hardware, generally speaking, applying for "invention patent" or "utility model patent" is a technology. Of course, the appearance can also be applied, depending on what you want to protect!