We’ve compiled a full list of commonly encountered IT terminology that will help you better understand the industry and how it works. By familiarizing yourself with basic computer terms and definitions, you’ll allow yourself to understand manuals, descriptions, and everyday jargon necessary to fully grasp IT products and services.
You’ll find our tech glossary is conveniently laid out below in alphabetical order with an easy navigation interface so you can quickly reference words related to technology.
In addition to our tech terms, you can also find other resources to help you learn more about the role of technology in modern industry, including blogs, whitepapers, and case studies. Though our list of IT terms to know is expansive, if you have any further questions regarding things to know about technology, please contact us.
Zero Latency refers to the ideal scenario in computing and networking where data transmission occurs instantaneously, with no delay between the sender and receiver. While true zero latency is unattainable due to the physical limitations of data transmission speeds (like the speed of light), technologies aim to minimize latency as much as possible. Low-latency networks are crucial for applications requiring real-time data processing, such as high-frequency trading, virtual reality, online gaming, and remote surgery.
Z-Shell (Zsh) is a powerful Unix shell that serves as an extended version of the Bourne Shell (sh), incorporating features from bash, ksh, and tcsh. It offers advanced scripting capabilities, improved auto-completion, globbing, and customization options. Zsh supports themes and plugins, allowing users to enhance functionality and personalize their command-line experience. It is the default shell on macOS Catalina and later, and is popular among developers for its efficiency and flexibility.
In web development and CSS, the Z-Index property controls the vertical stacking order of elements that overlap. Elements with a higher z-index value are displayed on top of those with a lower value. The z-index only works on positioned elements (those with a position property set to relative, absolute, fixed, or sticky). Proper use of z-index is essential for creating layered designs, modal dialogs, dropdown menus, and ensuring that interactive elements are accessible and display correctly.
ZFS is an advanced file system and logical volume manager designed by Sun Microsystems. It combines features of a file system and a volume manager, providing high storage capacities, data integrity verification, and repair. ZFS supports storage pools, snapshots, copy-on-write clones, continuous integrity checking, and automatic repair, making it suitable for managing large-scale data storage environments. Its focus on data integrity and reliability makes it popular in enterprise storage solutions.
A Zero-Day Vulnerability refers to a software security flaw that is unknown to the software vendor or antivirus providers. Because no official patch or update exists to address the vulnerability, it poses a high risk to systems and data. Attackers can exploit zero-day vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or cause disruptions. Organizations can mitigate risks by employing advanced security measures like behavior-based detection, intrusion prevention systems, and regular security assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities proactively.
Z-buffering is a computer graphics technique used in 3D rendering to manage image depth coordinates in 3D graphics. It keeps track of the depth of every pixel on the screen to determine which objects, or parts of objects, are visible and which are hidden behind others. By comparing the depth of overlapping pixels, the rendering system decides which pixel to display, ensuring that closer objects obscure those further away. Z-buffering is crucial for rendering realistic scenes with correct object occlusion.
A Zone File is a data file stored on a DNS (Domain Name System) server that contains mappings between domain names and IP addresses. It includes resource records defining the DNS information for a domain, such as A records (address records), MX records (mail exchange), CNAME records (canonical name), and NS records (name server). Zone files are essential for translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the network, enabling users to access websites and services using familiar names.
Zero Configuration Networking (Zeroconf) is a set of technologies that automatically create a usable IP network without manual setup or configuration. It enables devices on an IP network to discover each other and establish services such as file sharing and printing without the need for DHCP or DNS servers. Zeroconf simplifies networking in home and small office environments, allowing for seamless connectivity and communication between devices like computers, printers, and mobile devices.
Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol primarily used for home automation, enabling smart devices to communicate with one another. Operating in the sub-1 GHz band, Z-Wave avoids interference with Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies. It supports mesh networking, allowing devices to pass signals to one another to reach distant nodes, thus extending the network’s range. Z-Wave is known for its reliability, low power consumption, and interoperability, making it a popular choice for controlling lights, locks, thermostats, and security systems.
Zero Trust Security is a cybersecurity model centered around the belief that organizations should not automatically trust anything inside or outside their perimeters. Instead, they must verify anything and everything trying to connect to their systems before granting access. This approach involves strict identity verification, micro-segmentation of network resources, and continuous monitoring. Zero Trust Security reduces the risk of internal and external threats by limiting access to sensitive data and systems, ensuring that users only have the minimal level of access required to perform their tasks.