Definition:Byte - ProofWiki (original) (raw)

Definition

The byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of 888 bits.

It is usually encountered in its context as the code for a single typographical character.

Also defined as

While it is standard now to refer to a byte as a string of exactly 888 bits, this is not completely universal.

In the early days of computer science in particular, the nature of a byte was dependent upon the machine on which it was implemented.

Hence a byte could be 888 bits, 222 bits or 323232 bits, and so on.

It is still occasionally possible to encounter this usage in contemporary accounts, but except for historical treatises, this is more rare than it used to be.

Also see

Sources