Bandwidth
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
Bandwidth is how wide your internet pipe is — how much data can flow through per second. A narrow pipe means slow speeds, a wide pipe means fast speeds. It's measured in Mbps or Gbps. More bandwidth = more data per second = faster internet.
Real Talk
Bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a network connection, measured in bits per second (bps, Kbps, Mbps, Gbps). It's the theoretical maximum capacity, distinct from throughput (actual measured speed) and latency (delay).
When You'll Hear This
"We need more bandwidth to stream 4K video." / "The server is saturating its bandwidth — time to upgrade."
Related Terms
Latency
Latency is the delay before data starts moving — the time it takes for a request to go from your device to the server and back.
Load Balancer
A load balancer is like a traffic cop for servers.
Packet
A packet is a small chunk of data with an envelope around it.
Throughput
Throughput is how much actual work gets done per second — how many requests your server handles, how much data it actually transfers.