Important Computer Terminology
Important computer terminologies explained in simple and easy language for every competitive exam including Basic terms, input output terms, software and OS terms, networking terms, programming terms, advanced terms, hardware and components, data and data base terms, web and internet terms, cybersecurity and ethical hacking, artificial intelligence, data science, cloud, DevOps in Alphabetic order.
| A
ALU → (Arithmetic Logic Unit) Performs calculations. Application Software → User Program (MS Word and MS Excel). Android → Mobile Operating System by Google Antivirus → Protects from Viruses. Algorithms → Step by step solution Array → Collection of values API → Application Programming Interface Artificial Intelligence (AI) → Machine intelligence Augmented Reality (AR) → Digital overlay on real world Automation → Self operating system Attribute → Column in table ACID properties → Database reliability rules Attachment → File sent in email Access control → Permission management Authentication → Verifying identity Authorization → Granting access rights Audit Trails → Activity record Artificial Neuron → Basic unit of neural network AWS → Amazon Web Services. Cloud platform by Amazon API gateway → Application Programming Interface. Manages APIs APK (Android Package Kit) → Android app file App Store → Platform to download apps
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| B
Booting → Starting a computer. BIOS → Basic Input Output System Barcode Reader → Reads barcodes Bug → Software error Backup → Copy of data Bandwidth → Data transfer speed Bluetooth → Shortrange wireless Boolean → True/false value Big Data → Large data sets Blockchain → Secure Digital Ledger Biometrics → Identity by body features Binary → 0 and 1 number system Bit → Smallest data unit Byte → 8 bits Branch → Separate code version Brute Force Attack → Password guessing attack Black Hat hacker → Malicious hacker BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) → Hidden email copy Backend → Server-side processing part Blu ray → High-capacity optical disc |
| C
Computer → An electronic machine that processes data and gives output CPU → Central Processing Unit. Brain of computer. CU → Control Unit. Controls operations of the CPU. Cache Memory → Very fast near CPU. CLI → Command Line Interface. Cloud computing → Internet based computing Client → Request services Cybersecurity → Protecting systems Code → Program instructions Compiler → Convert code to machine language Constant → Fixed value C Language → Programming language C++ → Advanced C language CSS → Web design language Cryptocurrency → Digital money Cloud storage → Online data storage Captcha → Human verification test Cookies → Website stored data Cache → Temporary storage Chatbot → AI conversation program Cloud Backup → Online backup Cybercrime → Online crime ChatGPT → AI chatbot Chipset → Controls communication between CPU, Ram and devices Cooling Fans → Keeps system cool CMOS → Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. Stores BIOS setting Cloud provider → Company providing cloud services CI/CD → Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment |
| D
Data → Raw facts and figures Desktop → Main screen of computer. Driver → Software controlling hardware. Update → Improving software. Upgrade → Installing newer version. DNS → Converts domain to IP Domain Name → Website name Decryption → Decoding data Debugging → Fixing errors Database →Organised data storage Deep Learning → Advanced ML technique Data mining → Finding patterns in data Digital Signature → Electronic authentication Data centre → Large server facility Data Analytics → Data examination Dashboard → Data display panel Digital footprint → Online activity trace Data privacy → Protecting personal data Downtime → System unavailable time Docking station → Connects laptop peripherals DBMS → Database Management System. Management database Data warehouse →Large data storage for analysis Data lake → Stores raw data Data integrity → Accuracy of data Docker → Container platform DevOps → Development +Operations practice Deployment → Releasing application Disaster Recovery (DR) → Backup system planning |
| E
Extranet → External Network Access Encryption → Coding data E-commerce → Online shopping Edge computing → Processing near source E-learning → Online education Ethical Hacking → Legal security testing Expansion Slot → Slot for adding cards Ethernet Port → Wired network port External Hard Drive → External storage device ETL (Extract Transform Load) → Data processing method |
| F
File → Collection of related data. Folder → Stores files Firmware → Permanent Software in hardware. Firewall → Network security system. FTP → File Transfer Protocol Function → Reuseable code block Flowchart → Diagram of steps 2FA → Two factor Authentication Extra login security Finger print scanner → Biometric security device Filed → Smallest unit in database Foreign key → Links two tables |
| G
GUI → Graphical User Interface. Visual interface. Green computing → Eco-friendly computing Google chrome → Web browser Graphics card (GPU) → Handles graphics processing Google cloud Platform (GCP)→ Cloud service by Google Git → Version control system GitHub → Code hosting platform |
| H
Hardware → Physicals parts of a computer. Hard Disk → Main storage device. SSD → Solid state Drive. Faster storage Device. Headphone → Audio output device. Hub → Basic network device. HTTP →Web Protocol HTTPS → Secure HTTP HTML →Web page language Hypervisor → Manage virtual machines Heat Sink → Removes heat from CPU HDMI → High-Definition Multimedia Interface. Audio -video port
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| I
Information → Processed data with meaning. Input Device → Device that used to enter data (keyboard, mouse) iOS → Mobile Operating System by Apple. Internet → Global network Internet → Private network IP Address → Unique Network Address. ISP → Internet Service Provide Interpreter → Executes code line by line Integers →Whole number IoT (Internet of things) →Smart connected devices IaaS → Infrastructure as a service Index → Speed up data search |
| J
JAVA → Programming language Java Script language →Web scripting language
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| K
Keyboard→ Text input device Joystick → Game control device
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| L
Linux → Open-Source Operating System. LAN → Local area network Loop → Repeating instructions Latency → Delay in data transfer Load balancing → Distributing workload Load Testing → Checking system under load |
| M
Memory → Stores data and instructions. Motherboard → Main circuit board. Mouse → Pointing Device. macOS → Operating system by Apple Inc. Multitasking → Running multiple programs. Microphone → Audio input device Monitor → Displays output. Malware → Harmful software. MAN → Metropolitan Area Network MAC Address → Hardware Address Modem → Connects to internet Machine learning (ML) → AI learning from data Machine code → Binary code Metadata → Data about data Microsoft Edge → Web browser Mozilla Firefox → Web browser Motherboard Socket → Place to install CPU Motherboard Bus → Data pathway on motherboard Normalization → Organizing database efficiently MongoDB → It is identified as a type of database. it is classified as a NoSQL database. MySQL → Popular relational database Microsoft Azure → Cloud platform by Microsoft Merge → Combining code branches Microservices →Small independent services Monitoring Tool→ Tracks system performance |
| N
Network → Connected computer Nanotechnology → Micro scale technology NoSQL → Non-relational database
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| O
Output → Device that shows results (Monitor, printer) OS →(Operating System) Controls computer operations. Object Oriented Programming (OOP) → Class based programming Object → Instance of class OTP → One time password Operating Environment → Platform where software runs Query → Request for data Oracle DB → Database by Oracle Corporation |
| P
Printer → Produces hard copy. Plotter → Prints large drawings. Patch → Fixing software bug. Protocol → Communication rules. POP3 →Post Office Protocol 3. Email receiving protocol. Phishing → Fake email scam Programming → Writing code Python → Programming Language PaaS →Platform as a Service Proprietary Software → Licensed software PSU (Power Supply Unit) → Provides power to components. PCIe Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) → High speed expansion interface Optical device → Reads CDs and DVDs Pen Drive → Portable USB storage Primary key → Unique identifier in table PostgreSQL → Highly-advanced open-source rational database Management system. |
| Q
QR code Scanner → Reads QR codes Quantum Computing → Advanced computing using qubits |
| R
RAM → Random Access Memory. Temporary memory Reboot→ Restarting a computer. Ransomware→ Locks data for money Restore→ Recover data Router→ Connects Network Robotics → Root technology Record → Collection of related data RDBMS → Rational Database Management System Repository Repo → Code storage location Rollback → Reverting to previous version |
| S
Software → Program that run on a computer. Storage Device → Stores data permanently. Scanner → Converts paper to digital Speaker → Audio output device System Software → Control Systems (OS) Spyware → Steels information Switch → connects devices in LAN SMTP → Email sending protocol Server→ Provides services Spam → Unwanted email Syntax → Rules programming String→ Text data type SQL →Database language Source Code → Original program code Scalability → System expansion ability Search engine → Finds web information Safari → Web browser Sound card → Manage audio input/output SMPS (Switched Mode Power Supply) → Regulated power device Smart Card → Secure chip-based card Schema → Database structure design Serverless Computing → Cloud execution without server management Scalable Architecture → Expandable System design |
| T
Touchscreen → input and output device Trackball → Pointing device Trojan Horse → Fake malicious program Throughput → Data transfer rate Touchpad →Laptop pointing device Table → Database structure of rows and columns Tuple → Row in table Transaction → Database operation unit |
| U
Utility Software → Maintenance tools. URL → Website address Uptime → System working time USB (Universal Serial Bus) → Data transfer port UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) → Backup power service |
| V
VPN → Virtual Private Network Variable → Stores value Virtual Reality (VR)→ Computer generated environment Virtualization → Creating virtual systems Virtual Machine (VM)→ Virtual computer VGA (Video Graphics Array)→ Video display port Version Control → Managing code versions VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) →Isolated cloud network |
| W
Webcam →Video input device Windows → Operating system by Microsoft WAN → Wide Area Network Wi-Fi → Wireless network |