Clear explanations of important terms from information technology and artificial intelligence. From A to Z.
This glossary explains over 40 technical terms from information technology and artificial intelligence in plain language. Each entry names the term, assigns it to a category and describes it in a few sentences – from algorithm to Wi-Fi.
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This glossary explains the most important terms from IT and artificial intelligence. Frequently asked questions about our services are answered in the FAQ on IT service and AI consulting. Everything about modern language models and AI tools is explained on the page about AI and LLM technologies. Our IT services and prices in Kaiserslautern can be found at Computer Heiler – services and prices. Back to the home page of Computer Heiler.
The umbrella term for computer systems that can imitate human intellectual abilities such as learning, reasoning, understanding language or solving problems. AI ranges from simple rule sets to complex deep learning models and large language models (LLMs). Since 2022, AI has been experiencing an unprecedented breakthrough with the general public.
A step-by-step set of instructions that a computer follows in order to solve a problem. Algorithms are present in every piece of software – from a simple spreadsheet calculation to a complex AI decision. In artificial intelligence, the algorithm determines how a model learns from data.
Software that detects, blocks and removes malicious software (viruses, trojans, ransomware, etc.) on a computer. Modern antivirus solutions work with pattern recognition and AI-supported behavioural analysis. Regularly updating the virus definitions is essential.
A programming interface that allows different software systems to communicate with each other. APIs make it possible, for example, to integrate AI services into existing business applications without rewriting the entire software.
A copy of important data kept in a safe place (external hard drive, NAS, cloud). In the event of data loss through hardware failure, a virus or human error, an up-to-date backup makes recovery possible. The 3-2-1 rule is recommended: 3 copies, on 2 different media, 1 of them in another location.
An application for calling up and displaying websites on the internet. Well-known browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. An out-of-date browser is a security risk and should be updated regularly.
A large language model (LLM) from OpenAI, trained on natural language, that can generate texts, answer questions, write code and summarise content. ChatGPT has been publicly available since November 2022 and is regarded as a milestone in the history of AI.
A large language model from Anthropic, known for its safety properties and balanced answers. Claude is one of the leading AI systems and is used for text generation, analysis, programming and complex reasoning tasks.
The provision of IT resources (storage, computing power, software) over the internet instead of on local hardware. Well-known providers are Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS and Google Cloud. Cloud services enable access to data and applications regardless of location.
Software used to maintain the content of a website without having to write HTML. Classic systems such as WordPress or TYPO3 run on the web server itself and come with an online login – convenient, but at the same time the most common gateway for attacks. An alternative is a locally installed editorial system, where the published website remains static and there is no user account online at all. Computer Heiler offers such an offline CMS.
The heart of a computer – the processor that carries out all calculations. Performance is measured in cores and clock frequency (GHz). For AI training, specialised GPUs or TPUs are often preferred today, as they perform parallel calculations more efficiently.
The science of secure information transmission through mathematical methods. Modern cryptography secures internet connections (TLS/HTTPS), passwords (hashing) and hard drives (full-disk encryption). It is the basis for secure online communication and digital signatures.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU regulation governing the handling of personal data. It obliges companies to process data only with consent, to inform data subjects about its use and to implement appropriate protective measures.
The process of restoring lost, damaged or deleted data from storage media such as hard drives (HDD), SSDs, USB sticks or smartphones. Data recovery requires specialist software and often hardware expertise as well. Important: after data loss, switch the storage medium off immediately and get professional help.
A subfield of machine learning based on multi-layered neural networks. Deep learning makes it possible to recognise complex patterns in large volumes of data and is the foundation for modern AI applications such as speech and image recognition, as well as large language models.
A software interface that enables the operating system to communicate with hardware components. Without the right driver, printers, graphics cards, sound cards and other devices do not work correctly. Outdated drivers can lead to crashes, malfunctions and security vulnerabilities.
Converting data into an unreadable form using a key, so that only authorised parties can decrypt it. Encryption protects data in transit (e.g. HTTPS) and at rest. Computer Heiler always uses an encrypted connection for remote support.
A security system that monitors and filters network traffic in order to block unwanted access. Firewalls can be deployed as software (on the PC) or as hardware (in the router or as a separate device). They are the first line of defence against attacks from the internet.
A modern AI image generation model from Black Forest Labs, known for particularly realistic, high-quality images. FLUX allows precise control of image style through text prompts and is regarded as one of the leading open-source successors to Stable Diffusion.
The targeted optimisation of website content and structures so that AI search systems such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity or Google AI Overviews recognise the content as a reliable source and cite it in their answers. GEO adds the AI dimension to classic SEO and has been rapidly gaining importance since 2024.
Originally developed for graphics calculations, GPUs are today the heart of AI training and inference. Thanks to their ability to perform thousands of calculations in parallel, they are up to 100 times faster than CPUs for AI tasks. Manufacturers such as NVIDIA dominate the market for AI GPUs.
The physical components of a computer: processor (CPU), working memory (RAM), hard drive/SSD, graphics card (GPU), mainboard, power supply, etc. Unlike software, hardware is tangible and can be replaced or upgraded. Computer Heiler offers hardware replacement and upgrades as an on-site service.
A magnetic mass storage device that stores data on rotating platters. HDDs offer large storage capacity at a low price, but are slower and more sensitive to shock than SSDs. If an HDD fails, data recovery by specialists is often still possible.
The application of an already trained AI model – that is, day-to-day operation, as distinct from the training that preceded it. During training a model learns from data; during inference it uses what it learned to answer specific requests. Inference requires orders of magnitude less computing power than training and can therefore also be run on a single GPU workstation in-house – the basis for using a language model locally rather than in the cloud. The term comes from the Latin inferre (to infer) and has nothing to do with interference in physics.
A unique address assigned to every device in a network so that data packets can be delivered. IPv4 addresses (e.g. 192.168.1.1) consist of four numbers; the newer IPv6 format allows for considerably more addresses. On the internet, a distinction is made between public (externally reachable) and private (local) IP addresses.
An umbrella term for all technologies used to process, store and transmit information. This includes computers, networks, software, databases and communication systems. IT is the foundation of the modern economy and society.
A free, open-source operating system used as an alternative to Windows and macOS. Linux is particularly popular for servers, with developers and in AI infrastructure. Well-known distributions are Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora and Mint. Computer Heiler supports Linux systems with installation and configuration.
An AI model trained on huge volumes of text that understands and generates natural language. Well-known LLMs are GPT-4 (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), Llama (Meta) and Gemini (Google). LLMs can write, translate and summarise texts, generate code and answer complex questions. They form the basis of modern AI assistants.
LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) is a resource-efficient method for adapting an existing language model to a new task. Instead of recalculating all model weights – which would require a data centre – only a few small additional matrices are trained and attached to the model. The result is a file of a few megabytes instead of many gigabytes, and several such adaptations can be run alongside each other for the same base model. QLoRA adds quantisation to the method, making the fine-tuning of a medium-sized model possible on a single graphics card. Not to be confused with LoRa, a radio technology for the Internet of Things.
An umbrella term for malicious software that causes damage without the user’s knowledge. Types of malware: viruses (infect other programs), trojans (disguise themselves as legitimate software), ransomware (encrypt data and demand a ransom), spyware (spies on the user) and adware (displays unwanted advertising). Computer Heiler offers professional malware removal.
An AI image generation service that creates high-quality, often artistic-looking images from text descriptions (prompts). Midjourney is known for particularly aesthetic results and is operated via Discord. Computer Heiler provides support with prompt creation for Midjourney.
MySQL is a widely used relational database management system. SQL (Structured Query Language) is the database language used to query and manage data. MySQL databases run in the background of almost every website. Computer Heiler also offers data recovery for MySQL databases.
A system that connects several computers and devices with each other in order to exchange data. LAN (Local Area Network) refers to a wired local network; WLAN (wireless LAN, Wi-Fi) is the wireless counterpart. A stable home network is the prerequisite for smooth remote support.
Software whose source code is publicly viewable and freely usable. Open-source software can be studied, modified and redistributed by anyone. Well-known examples: Linux, Firefox, LibreOffice, VLC and the LLMs Llama (Meta) and Mistral. Open source promotes transparency and innovation.
The fundamental software that controls the computer and provides a runtime environment for all other programs. The most widespread operating systems are Windows (Microsoft), macOS (Apple) and Linux (open source). Computer Heiler supports all three systems.
An attack in which criminals pose as trustworthy senders (e.g. a bank, PayPal, DHL) in order to steal sensitive data such as passwords or credit card numbers. Phishing usually takes place by e-mail with manipulated links. Protection: do not click links in unexpected e-mails, and check the sender address.
A prompt is the text input given to an AI system such as ChatGPT or Claude in order to obtain an answer or a result. The quality of the prompt largely determines the quality of the AI output. Prompt engineering is the art of formulating prompts so that the AI delivers optimal results. Computer Heiler offers professional prompt engineering for €20/hour.
The volatile working memory of a computer, in which active programs and data are temporarily stored. The more RAM, the more programs can run smoothly at the same time. For normal office use 8 GB is sufficient; for image editing, video editing or AI applications, 16–32 GB is recommended.
Malicious software that blocks access to a computer or files and demands a ransom. Ransomware attacks affect private individuals and businesses alike. Protection: regular backups, up-to-date antivirus software, careful handling of e-mail attachments.
The maintenance and troubleshooting of a computer over the internet, without a technician having to be physically present. Using remote desktop software, the technician sees and controls the customer’s screen – with their express permission and under their full control. Computer Heiler offers remote support for €40/hour.
A device that forwards data packets between different networks (e.g. the home network and the internet). The home router provides Wi-Fi and connects all devices to the internet. Regularly updating the router firmware protects against security vulnerabilities.
A flash-memory-based mass storage device with no moving parts, considerably faster, quieter and more robust than a classic HDD. Upgrading from HDD to SSD is one of the most effective ways to speed up a slow PC. Computer Heiler carries out SSD upgrades as an on-site service.
An open-source AI model for generating images from text prompts. Unlike DALL-E and Midjourney, Stable Diffusion can be run locally on your own computer, allowing maximum privacy and control. Successors such as FLUX build on these foundations.
The systematic examination of a computer to diagnose performance problems, security vulnerabilities, misconfigurations and malicious software. A system analysis is the first step in almost every IT support case. Computer Heiler carries out system analyses by remote support and on site.
The smallest processing unit of a language model. A token is usually not a whole word but part of a word, a punctuation mark or a space – as a rough rule of thumb, 1,000 tokens correspond to about 750 words in English. Every input is broken down into tokens, the model computes with them and outputs tokens again. Two things depend directly on this: the context window, i.e. how much text a model can take in at once, and the billing of commercial AI services, which is almost always per token. With a locally operated model, this ongoing billing does not apply.
An update for software or operating systems that fixes errors, closes security vulnerabilities and adds new functions. Regular updates are one of the most important protective measures against cyberattacks. Windows updates should always be installed promptly.
A universal interface for connecting peripheral devices (keyboard, mouse, USB stick, external hard drive, etc.) to a computer. USB standards: USB 2.0 (480 Mbps), USB 3.0 (5 Gbps), USB 3.2 (20 Gbps), USB4/Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gbps). The newer USB-C connectors can be plugged in either way round.
A malicious program that copies itself into other programs or files and thereby spreads. Computer viruses can delete data, damage programs or slow the computer down. Protection is provided by up-to-date antivirus software, regular updates and careful behaviour on the internet.
An encrypted network connection that routes data through a secure tunnel. VPNs are used in the corporate environment for secure remote access to the company network, and privately to protect privacy on public Wi-Fi. A VPN hides the user’s real IP address.
Wireless network technology that connects devices to the internet by radio waves. Current standards: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (uses the 6 GHz band). For stable remote support, a Wi-Fi signal with a download speed of at least 10 Mbit/s is recommended.
The most widespread operating system for PCs and laptops, developed by Microsoft. Current version: Windows 11 (since 2021). Windows offers the greatest software compatibility and is particularly widespread in businesses. Computer Heiler supports all Windows versions from XP onwards.
For more in-depth explanations of the terms listed here, we recommend:
Written by Georg Heiler, IT expert & owner at Computer Heiler, Kaiserslautern · IT service, remote support, AI consulting · for over 30 years.
