Computer Science Principles Vocabulary Units 1-4

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering digital data, the internet, app design, and programming concepts from Units 1 through 4.

Lossy Compression

A process for reducing the number of bits needed to represent something in which some information is lost or thrown away. This process is not reversible.

Creative Commons

A collection of public copyright licenses that enable the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted work, used when an author wants to give people the right to share, use, and build upon a work that they have created.

Intellectual Property

A work or invention that is the result of creativity, such as a piece of writing or a design, to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc.

IP Address

The unique number assigned to each device on the Internet.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A protocol for sending data across the Internet that assigns unique numbers (IP addresses) to each connected device.

Protocol

An agreed-upon set of rules that specify the behavior of some system.

Bandwidth

The maximum amount of data that can be sent in a fixed amount of time, usually measured in bits per second.

Computing Device

A machine that can run a program, including computers, tablets, servers, routers, and smart sensors.

Computing Network

A group of interconnected computing devices capable of sending or receiving data.

Computing System

A group of computing devices and programs working together for a common purpose.

Path

The series of connections between computing devices on a network starting with a sender and ending with a receiver.

Fault Tolerant

Can continue to function even in the event of individual component failures. This is important because elements of complex systems like a computer network fail at unexpected times, often in groups.

Redundancy

The inclusion of extra components so that a system can continue to work even if individual components fail, for example by having more than one path between any two connected devices in a network.

Router

A type of computer that forwards data across a network.

Packet

A chunk of data sent over a network. Larger messages are divided into packets that may arrive at the destination in order, out-of-order, or not at all.

Domain Name System (DNS)

The system responsible for translating domain names like example.com into IP addresses.

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

The protocol used for transmitting web pages over the Internet.

World Wide Web

A system of linked pages, programs, and files.

Input

Data that are sent to a computer for processing by a program. Can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile interaction, audio, visuals, or text.

Output

Any data that are sent from a program to a device. Can come in a variety of forms, such as tactile interaction, audio, visuals, or text.

User Interface

The inputs and outputs that allow a user to interact with a piece of software. User interfaces can include a variety of forms such as buttons, menus, images, text, and graphics.

Event Driven Programming

Some program statements run when triggered by an event, like a mouse click or a key press.

Program

A collection of program statements. Programs run (or "execute") one command at a time.

Program Statement

A command or instruction. Sometimes also referred to as a code statement.

Sequential Programming

Program statements run in order, from top to bottom.

Boolean Value

A data type that is either true or false.

Comment

Form of program documentation written into the program to be read by people and which do not affect how a program runs.

Debugging

Finding and fixing problems in an algorithm or program.

Documentation

A written description of how a command or piece of code works or was developed.

Development Process

The steps or phases used to create a piece of software. Typical phases include investigating, designing, prototyping, and testing.

Pair Programming

A collaborative programming style in which two programmers switch between the roles of writing code and tracking or planning high level progress.

Assignment Operator

Allows a program to change the value represented by a variable.

Expression

A combination of operators and values that evaluates to a single value.

String

An ordered sequence of characters.

Variable

A named reference to a value that can be used repeatedly throughout a program.

Comparison Operator

Logical Operator

NOT, AND, and OR, which evaluate to a Boolean value.

Conditional Statement

Affects the sequential flow of control by executing different statements based on the value of a Boolean expression.

Function

A named group of programming instructions. Also referred to as a "procedure".

Function Call

A command that executes the code within a function.