switch is hardware based and router is software based. need explain

[knaik99]

switch is hardware based and router is software based. need explanation.

why are switches called hardware based?

and why are routers called software based?

or my written sentence is wrong, Please explain

[balaji.bandi]

there are different models looking at the new one how they run and different.

but Orginal Cisco document helps here for definaton  :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en_uk/solutions/small-business/resource-center/networking/network-switch-vs-router.html

[Joseph W. Doherty]

That 'sStatement, generally, isn't 100% true.

Basically (also generally), switch processing, forwarding L2 frames, is much less "complex" than router processing, forwarding L3 packets.  This being so, it's "easier" (and less expensive) to support switch processing in/with dedicated hardware.  So, often the bulk of a switch's forwarding is supported in hardware while more of a router's processing is supported using a "general" CPU.

A similar situation exists with desktop PCs/workstations.  Most of the "complex" functions, like supporting the OS, is done also using a "general" CPU, but some very special functions are supported with dedicated hardware.  Examples of the latter might be seen with numeric co-processors and/or video/graphic chips/modules/cards.  A "general" CPU can do what numeric co-processors and/or video/graphic chips/modules/cards do, but far, far (far) slower.