Tech Glossary

60+ tech terms explained in plain English — no jargon, no confusing definitions.

Virus

A malicious program designed to damage your computer or steal information. Viruses spread from file to file and can slow down your system, delete files, or cause crashes.

Simple example: Like a biological virus that makes you sick, a computer virus damages your system.

Malware

Short for "malicious software." Any program designed to harm your computer, including viruses, ransomware, spyware, and trojans.

Simple example: Malware is the umbrella term for all bad software. Like how "vehicle" includes cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

Password

A secret code that only you know, used to prove your identity and access your accounts. Strong passwords have uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.

Good password: Tr0pic@lPanda2026 (14 characters, mixed types)
Bad password: 12345 or "password"

Phishing

A scam where someone pretends to be a legitimate company (like your bank) to trick you into giving them your passwords or personal information.

Red flags: Unexpected emails asking for passwords, urgent action needed, misspelled company names.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Extra security that requires two ways to prove you're you: something you know (password) and something you have (phone, authenticator app, or security key).

Simple example: Like a bank card (thing you have) + PIN (thing you know). You need both to withdraw money.

WiFi

Wireless connection to the internet. Your router broadcasts WiFi signals that your devices can connect to, without needing cables.

Simple example: WiFi lets your phone, laptop, and tablet talk to the internet wirelessly, like a radio signal.

Browser

A program that lets you view websites on the internet. Examples: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. It reads the website code and displays it for you to see.

Popular browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari

Cloud Storage

Saving your files on a company's servers (accessible via the internet) instead of just on your computer. You can access your files from any device with internet.

Examples: Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox. Like a vault in the sky that you can open from anywhere.

Email

Electronic mail. A system for sending messages, photos, and files to others via the internet. Each person has a unique email address (like [email protected]).

Email format: [email protected] (example: [email protected])

CPU (Processor)

The "brain" of your computer. It processes instructions and performs calculations. Faster CPUs can do more work quickly. Examples: Intel Core, AMD Ryzen.

Simple analogy: CPU is like the brain of a person — it thinks and makes decisions for the whole body.

RAM (Memory)

Short-term memory for your computer. RAM temporarily stores data the CPU needs. More RAM = your computer can run more programs smoothly. RAM clears when you restart.

Common amounts: 8GB (basic), 16GB (good), 32GB (professional work)

Storage (Hard Drive / SSD)

Long-term memory for your computer. Stores files, programs, and your operating system permanently. SSD (Solid State Drive) is faster than older HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

Difference: SSD = like an elevator (fast), HDD = like a spinning record (slower but stores more)

Software

Programs and applications you use. Software is intangible — you can't touch it, but you can use it. Examples: Word, Chrome, Photoshop, games.

Opposite of: Hardware (physical parts you can touch)

Operating System (OS)

The main software that manages your computer. It controls all other programs and hardware. Examples: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS (phones).

Simple analogy: OS is like the manager of a company — it makes sure everything works together smoothly.

Byte

The basic unit of digital storage. One byte can store one character (like the letter "A"). Larger units: 1 KB (1,000 bytes), 1 MB (1,000 KB), 1 GB (1,000 MB).

Analogy: Byte is like a brick. Many bricks make a house, many bytes make a document.

Icon

A small image or symbol that represents a program, file, or action. Click an icon to open a program or access something. Icons help you find things quickly.

Examples: Folder icon opens files, trash icon deletes things, magnifying glass means search.

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