What is the difference between Hardwood and Softwood?

What is the difference between Hardwood and Softwood?

Hardwood is not necessarily a harder material (more dense) and a softwood is not necessarily a softer material (less dense).
Different types of construction projects call for different kinds of timber, both hardwood and softwood are used for everything from structural to decorative.
Softwood and hardwood are distinguished botanically in terms of their reproduction, not by their end use or appearance. All trees reproduce by producing seeds, but the seed structure varies.
In general, hardwood comes from a deciduous tree which loses its leaves annually and softwood comes from a conifer, which usually remains evergreen. Hardwoods tend to be slower growing, and are therefore usually more dense.
Softwood trees are known as a Gymnosperm. 
A Hardwood is an Angiosperm.