Computing & Code

The microprocessor put a full computer processor on one chip, debuting commercially as the Intel 4004.

Algorithms, step-by-step problem-solving procedures, take their name from the mathematician Al-Khwarizmi.

Data structures organize information for storage, and choosing the right one can dramatically speed up a program.

Cybersecurity protects systems from digital attacks and has grown into a major global industry.

Machine learning lets systems learn patterns from data, powering spam filters and recommendation engines alike.

APIs let separate pieces of software communicate, standing for Application Programming Interface.

Databases organize electronic data storage and underpin nearly every modern application and website.

Object-oriented programming bundles data and behavior into objects, popularized by languages like Java and C++.

Computer memory temporarily holds active data, distinct from long-term storage like hard drives.

A compiler translates source code into machine code, and Grace Hopper built one of the earliest working versions.

An operating system manages hardware and software, serving as the intermediary between users and machines.

Linux, the free open-source kernel created by Linus Torvalds, was first released in 1991.

Open source software publishes its code publicly, letting anyone inspect, modify, and redistribute it.

Debugging finds and fixes software errors, a name often traced to a moth once found in an early computer.

Malware covers software built to damage or gain unauthorized access, including viruses and ransomware.

Software bugs cause unexpected behavior, and the term's popularization is often credited to Grace Hopper.

The transistor, invented in 1947 to replace bulky vacuum tubes, earned its inventors a Nobel Prize.

Python, created by Guido van Rossum, is prized for syntax that reads almost like plain English.

JavaScript, which powers interactive web pages, was originally created by Brendan Eich in just ten days.

Cloud computing delivers services over the internet, letting users access power without owning hardware.

Encryption converts data into code to block unauthorized access, underpinning secure internet communication.

Artificial intelligence builds machines for intelligent tasks, spanning simple rules to complex neural networks.

Neural networks, loosely inspired by the brain, process information through successive organized layers.

Big data describes data sets so large that specialized tools and distributed computing are needed to analyze them.

SQL, standing for Structured Query Language, is the standard tool for managing relational databases.

Git tracks code changes over time and, like Linux, was also created by Linus Torvalds.

The command line lets users interact with a computer through text, predating graphical interfaces by decades.

Cookies are small files websites store in browsers to remember logins and browsing preferences.

Firewalls monitor network traffic and act as a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks.

Moore's Law concerns transistor counts on integrated circuits, not a guarantee that every measure of computer performance doubles.

Quantum computing harnesses quantum mechanics and could someday solve certain problems far faster than classical machines.

Virtual reality creates immersive digital environments, typically experienced through a head-tracking headset.

Augmented reality overlays digital content onto the real world, popularized by mobile games and camera filters.

Blockchain, a tamper-resistant distributed ledger, first gained popularity as the technology behind Bitcoin.