OCR GCSE Computer Science key terms

An Internet Protocol address assigned to a device's network connection, used to identify it and help deliver data to the correct destination across networks.

Internet Protocol version 4, which uses 32-bit addresses normally written as four denary numbers separated by full stops.

Internet Protocol version 6, which uses 128-bit addresses. A full address is written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits separated by colons.

A programming construct that repeats a group of statements.

Repeated testing of modules during program development, using the results to correct and improve the code.

An identifier used to access an associated value in a dictionary.

A unit of data equal to 1,000 bytes using the decimal convention.

A Local Area Network: a network covering a relatively small geographical area, such as a home, school or office, usually owned and managed by one person or organisation.

A division of network functionality that handles a specific part of the communication task.

A zero placed before the first non-zero digit of a number. Leading zeros do not change the value of a positive binary integer.

The principle of giving a user only the permissions needed for their role.

The rightmost bit in a binary representation, occupying the position with the smallest place value. For a binary integer, its place value is 1.

A question about how the law applies, whether an action is lawful or who has legal responsibility.

A check that input contains an acceptable number of characters.

A searching algorithm that checks items one at a time from the beginning until a match is found or all items have been checked. The data need not be sorted.

A network connecting devices over a relatively small geographical area, such as a home, school or office.

A variable declared inside a subprogram and accessible only within that subprogram.

A binary shift that fills newly empty positions with zeros and discards bits moved beyond the available width.

A diagram showing how logic gates are connected to turn Boolean inputs into an output.

An error that allows an algorithm or program to run but causes incorrect output or behaviour.

A component that applies a Boolean operation to its input or inputs to produce an output.

The statements belonging to a loop, executed during each repetition.

A method of reducing file size without losing information, allowing the exact original data to be recovered.

A method of reducing file size by permanently removing some of the original data. The exact original data cannot be recovered from the compressed file.

A programming language closely related to a processor’s instructions and hardware, giving more direct control but being harder for humans to read and write.

A Media Access Control address assigned to a network interface, used to identify it when delivering data within a local network.

Instructions represented in binary that a processor can execute directly.