Computing and IT Abbreviations

In the ever-evolving world of computing and information technology, abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms are pervasive and indispensable. These shorthand forms simplify complex technical terms into manageable and communicable bites, enhancing efficiency in both written and verbal communications. This article provides an extensive overview of commonly used abbreviations in computing and IT, categorized alphabetically for ease of reference.

A to Z of Computing and IT Abbreviations

0-9

• 3G: Third Generation of mobile telecommunications technology
• 4G: Fourth Generation of mobile telecommunications technology

A

• AI: Artificial Intelligence
• API: Application Programming Interface
• ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange

B

• BIOS: Basic Input/Output System
• BPM: Business Process Management
• B2B: Business-to-Business

C

• CPU: Central Processing Unit
• CSS: Cascading Style Sheets
• CRM: Customer Relationship Management

D

• DNS: Domain Name System
• DBMS: Database Management System
• DDoS: Distributed Denial of Service

E

• ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning
• EULA: End-User License Agreement
• EDI: Electronic Data Interchange

F

• FTP: File Transfer Protocol
• FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
• FOSS: Free and Open Source Software

G

• GUI: Graphical User Interface
• GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications
• GPS: Global Positioning System

H

• HTML: HyperText Markup Language
• HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol
• HTTPS: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure

I

• IP: Internet Protocol
• ISP: Internet Service Provider
• IoT: Internet of Things

J

• JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group
• JSON: JavaScript Object Notation
• JVM: Java Virtual Machine

K

• KPI: Key Performance Indicator
• Kbps: Kilobits per second
• KB: Kilobyte

L

• LAN: Local Area Network
• LDAP: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
• LAMP: Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP

M

• MB: Megabyte
• Mbps: Megabits per second
• MIME: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions

N

• NAS: Network Attached Storage
• NAT: Network Address Translation
• NFC: Near Field Communication

O

• OS: Operating System
• OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer
• OOP: Object-Oriented Programming

P

• PDF: Portable Document Format
• PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
• P2P: Peer-to-Peer

Q

• QoS: Quality of Service
• QAM: Quadrature Amplitude Modulation
• QWERTY: Refers to the standard layout of keys on a keyboard

R

• RAM: Random Access Memory
• ROM: Read-Only Memory
• RPA: Robotic Process Automation

S

• SQL: Structured Query Language
• SSL: Secure Sockets Layer
• SaaS: Software as a Service

T

• TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
• TLS: Transport Layer Security
• TLD: Top-Level Domain

U

• USB: Universal Serial Bus
• URL: Uniform Resource Locator
• UX: User Experience

V

• VPN: Virtual Private Network
• VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol
• VPS: Virtual Private Server

W

• WAN: Wide Area Network
• WiFi: Wireless Fidelity
• WWW: World Wide Web

X

• XML: eXtensible Markup Language
• XSS: Cross-Site Scripting
• XOR: Exclusive OR

Y

• Y2K: Year 2000 Bug
• YAML: YAML Ain't Markup Language

Z

• ZIP: Zone Improvement Plan
• ZFS: Zettabyte File System
• ZIF: Zero Insertion Force

See Also

• Computer Science Glossary
• IT Certification
• Network Protocols
• Software Development

Understanding these abbreviations is crucial for anyone engaged in the IT sector or studying computing, as they form the foundational lexicon of the industry.