AP Computer Science Principles: Big Idea 4 - The Internet

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards for AP Computer Science Principles Big Idea 4: The Internet, covering network structure, protocols, addressing, packet routing, fault tolerance, and DNS.

Internet

A global network of interconnected networks that provides the infrastructure for communication, including networks, routers, devices, protocols, and connections.

World Wide Web (WWW)

A system of linked pages, files, and programs accessed through the Internet.

Protocol

A set of agreed-upon rules that devices use to communicate by establishing common ways to send, receive, address, and interpret information.

Open Protocol

A standardized and publicly available protocol that allows hardware and software from different manufacturers or developers to communicate, supporting interoperability and scalability.

TCP/IP

A collection of standardized rules and protocols used for communication over the Internet.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

A protocol that manages the reliable delivery, transmission, and reassembly of data across a network.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A protocol associated with addressing and routing packets to destinations.

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

The organization that develops and oversees Internet standards and protocols, including HTTP, IP, and SMTP.

IP Address

A unique address assigned to Internet-connected devices that identifies a destination on a network so data can be routed to it.

IPv4

An older Internet addressing system characterized by fewer possible addresses and a limited address space.

IPv6

A newer Internet addressing system developed to provide a much larger address space with far more possible IP addresses than IPv4.

Packet

A small portion of a large file or message sent across a network, containing both data and metadata.

Metadata

Information about data included in packets that is used for communication, routing, or reassembly.

Router

A network device that helps direct packets toward their destinations.

Routing

The process of determining paths and destinations for packets as they move through a network.

Redundancy

The design characteristic of having multiple possible paths or components so that a single failure does not necessarily stop communication.

Fault Tolerance

The ability of a system to continue operating even when some components or connections fail.

Scalability

The ability of a system to grow as more users, devices, and networks are added while continuing to operate effectively.

Bandwidth

The maximum amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time, commonly measured in bits per second ($\text{bits/s}$).

Latency

A network measure that concerns delay, as distinguished from bandwidth.

Domain Name System (DNS)

A system that helps translate and map human-readable domain names into IP addresses used for network communication.

Domain Name

A human-readable name used to identify a destination on a network.

Subdomain

A domain that is part of a larger domain, such as "about" in about.example.com.