Bit (b)
The bit, symbol b, is the fundamental unit of digital information. Short for binary digit, it was introduced in 1948 by Claude Shannon in his work on information theory. A bit represents either 0 or 1, forming the basis of modern computing and digital communication. Bits measure data transfer, storage efficiency, and computational processes. Individually small, billions of bits combine to store files, images, and programs, making the bit essential in the digital era.
Gibibyte (GiB)
The gibibyte, symbol GiB, is a binary unit of digital information equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes (1,024 mebibytes). Introduced by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1998, it was created to clearly distinguish binary measurements from decimal-based gigabytes (GB), which can equal 1,000,000,000 bytes. Gibibytes are commonly used in operating systems, software engineering, and computer hardware specifications to ensure precise calculations for memory and storage. By using gibibytes, developers and IT professionals avoid ambiguity when reporting RAM, file sizes, and storage capacity, maintaining accuracy across platforms and systems.