Byte (B)
A byte, represented by the symbol B, is made up of 8 bits and serves as a standard unit for digital information. The idea of the byte was established in the 1950s when early computers needed a consistent way to group bits to encode characters like letters and numbers. As the fundamental element for organizing and storing digital data, bytes are used in everything from documents to multimedia files. Today, the byte is the universal reference point for measuring memory, storage capacities, and file sizes, forming the foundation for all larger digital units.
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.