Digital

Digital is a term used to describe computing devices in which the values of data are discrete, and can only take one of a small number of enumerated values; unlike analog devices, in which infinitely variable levels are used as data. Digital devices were historically referred to as engines or machines in the UK (e.g. the Analytical Engine).

The term is also used to describe circuits which operate in this mode; usually only two values are handled/supported ('high'/'low', 'true/false', '0'/'1', etc), and boolean logic is used (AND, OR, etc).

See also

• Binary
• Bit