Internet Technology Glossary for Kids

The Internet is an amazing tool that has completely changed our way of life. It can be used to communicate, learn, and play, among other things. Unless you’re an IT professional, however, you may not be familiar with the meanings of all the different words we use to describe what happens when people use computers to access the Internet. Once you’ve learned these Internet Technology vocabulary words, you’ll have a whole new appreciation for what it takes for you to be able to visit your favorite website!

• Analog – An analog method of storing data is one that uses a constantly changing physical quantity, such as the voltage of an electrical current or the amplitude of a sound wave, to represent the data. A common example of this is the constantly changing position of the hands on an analog clock.
• Backup – A backup is a copy of a file or resource that can be accessed if the original gets lost or destroyed.
• Bandwidth – Bandwidth is a measure of how much data you can move through an Internet connection in a given amount of time. It is usually measured in bits-per-second.
• Browser – A browser is a computer software program that allows the user to surf the Internet. A browser interprets HTML code and displays websites and graphics on the computer screen.
• Computer – A computer is a machine that can store information and follow instructions to help people accomplish various tasks.
• CPU – The Central Processing Unit (or CPU) is the part of a computer responsible for carrying out the instructions contained in various software programs.
• Data – The word “data” means information. It could be facts, figures, words, measurements, observations, or any combination of these things. When you surf the Internet, your browser interprets the data contained in files and resources and displays the results for you on the computer screen.
• Database – A database is a collection of data that is organized in a way that makes it easy for someone to access the information inside in various ways.
• Desktop – A desktop is a computer’s primary user interface. In other words, it’s the screen that can be seen when a computer is first started up. From the desktop, a user can access the files and programs held on the computer.
• Digital – A digital method of storing and transporting data is one that uses “discrete signals,” usually numerical codes involving ones and zeros. An example of this is the binary code used by computers.
• Disk Drive – A disk drive, sometimes called a hard disk drive or simply a hard disk, is a storage device usually found within a computer that can read data from or write data onto a spinning metal disk.
• Download – The word “downloading” refers to accessing digital information. Every time someone visits a website on the Internet, they are downloading a file using their browser.
• Email – Email, or electronic mail, is a means of sending messages from one person to another over the Internet.
• Gigabyte – A byte is a unit used to measure the size of computer data. A gigabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 (or about 1,000,000,000) bytes. The reason a gigabyte is not exactly one billion bytes is that computers work using a binary system, meaning that everything is measured in powers of two instead of powers of ten.
• Hardware – The word “hardware” is used to describe all of the physical components that make up a computer.
• Homepage – A homepage is the main page of a website. A homepage serves to welcome visitors and aid them in navigating the other pages on the site.
• HTML – HTML, or HyperText Markup Language, is the language used for creating Web pages. HTML tells a browser how to display the page on the computer screen.
• HTTP – HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. It is a set of rules that a browser uses to interpret a website’s HTML code. A website tells the browser to use a certain protocol by identifying it in its Web address, which is why a lot of websites have “http://” at the beginning of their URLs.
• Hyperlink – A hyperlink, commonly referred to as a link, is a gateway between two documents on the Internet or sometimes two parts of the same document. Clicking a link tells the browser to display the Internet resource located at the address specified in the hyperlink’s HTML code.
• IP Address – An IP Address, or Internet Protocol Address, is a string of numbers assigned to each computer using the Internet Protocol in a network.
• Internet – The Internet is a system that connects millions of computer networks, allowing users to communicate with one another and share resources and information across great distances.
• JavaScript – JavaScript is an object-based scripting that can be used in conjunction with HTML to make websites more interactive.
• Keyboard – a keyboard is a tool that a person uses to interact with a computer. It consists of a number of keys that can be pressed to give the computer specific instructions.
• Memory – “Memory” is a word used to describe the temporary storage of information on a computer, separate from the CPU. It is sometimes primary storage or RAM (Random Access Memory).
• Modem – The word “modem” is actually short for modulator/demodulator. A modem is an external device that allows a computer to transfer information over telephone or cable lines.
• Monitor – A computer monitor is the part of the computer’s hardware that displays images for the user.
• Motherboard – A motherboard is the main electronic circuit board in a computer. It connects all of the system hardware. The motherboard usually contains the CPU and the RAM.
• Network – A computer network consists of two or more computers that are connected in order to allow them to share information.
• Operating System – An operating system is a set of programs (or software) that allows a user to operate a computer’s various parts (or hardware).
• PC – PC stands for personal computer. The term refers to any computer that an ordinary individual can use in their home or at a desk, as opposed to a giant supercomputer.
• Pixel – A pixel is a tiny area of illumination on a computer’s monitor. It is the smallest unit of an image on a computer.
• Processor – A processor, or a CPU, is the part of a computer that processes and carries out the instructions a user gives it.
• Shortcut – A shortcut is an icon that resides on a computer’s desktop and links to a specific program or file.
• Software – The word “software” refers to different sets of instructions, or programs, for a computer to follow.
• Spam – Spam is unwanted, or junk, email. Some email providers offer spam filtering, so that these unwanted emails are automatically sent to a special spam folder.
• Taskbar – A taskbar is a bar that is usually displayed at the bottom of a computer screen. Often, it contains icons for frequently-used programs.
• URL – Each Web page has a unique string of characters assigned to it, called a URL, or a Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is sometimes called a Web address. When a user types a URL into a browser’s address bar, the browser will display the Web page.
• USB – USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It is a method of connecting computers to external devices like cameras.
• Virus – A computer virus is a program created to steal or damage information on a computer.
• World Wide Web – The World Wide Web is an information system on the Internet that allows hypertext documents to be connected with hyperlinks.