What is a byte?

The term "byte" today has several meanings,like many other terms that recently entered our lives in connection with the era of computer technology. However, not everyone can know and understand what a "byte" is.

Consider the meaning of this term in more detail.

What does the term "byte" mean?

The term "byte" can be used in speech in several meanings, but all of them are connected with computer technologies:

• So called in Soviet times a domestic computer. It was created in 1990 as a popular ZX Spectrum clone in Russia;
• The term denotes a unit of information. A byte is a collection of bits that constitute a unit of storage, transmission, and processing of information. On modern computers, bytes are so small pieces of information that they are processed almost instantly. A byte consists of eight bits and can take one of 256 different states. In many systems, a byte is the minimum unit of information.

The term in the meaning of a unit of information arose in1956 and was translated as "BinarY TErm" or "binary term". Initially, the byte could transmit six bits, however, later it was expanded to 8 bits. But sometimes in different systems you can find a byte consisting of 32 and 64 bits.

Over time, bytes became the standard for processing and storing data. However, this term is used much less often compared to the terms "megabyte" or "gigabyte".

Also you can see our useful section Computer terminology.