A byte is a unit of digital information that consists of 8 bits, typically representing a single character of text. A nibble, on the other hand, is a unit of digital information that consists of 4 bits, or half of a byte. In other words, a byte is made up of 8 bits, while a nibble is made up of 4 bits.
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Google Gemini AI
Aug 26
Byte
- A byte is a unit of digital information that typically consists of 8 binary digits (bits). - It is the fundamental unit of data storage in computers and is used to represent characters, numbers, and other types of data. - Typically, a byte represents a single character, such as a letter, number, or punctuation mark. - It can also represent a small integer or a logical value. - In programming languages, bytes are often used as the smallest addressable unit of memory.
Nibble
- A nibble is a half-byte, consisting of 4 binary digits (bits). - It is sometimes referred to as a "quadbit". - Nibbles are often used in low-level programming and computer architecture. - For example, a 16-bit register might be divided into four nibbles, each of which can be accessed independently. - Nibbles can also be used to represent hexadecimal digits, where each nibble represents a value from 0 to 15.
Summary Table
| Feature | Byte | Nibble | |---|---|---| | Number of bits | 8 | 4 | | Data representation | Characters, numbers, small integers, logical values | Hexadecimal digits | | Typical usage | Unit of data storage | Low-level programming, computer architecture | | Addressability | Typically the smallest addressable unit of memory | Can be addressed independently within a larger register |