Kibibyte (KiB)
The kibibyte, symbol KiB, is a binary unit equal to 1,024 bytes, introduced by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1998. The unit addresses the difference between metric kilobytes (1,000 bytes) and binary kilobytes (1,024 bytes) in digital systems. Kibibytes are used in operating systems, file systems, and technical documentation for precise, unambiguous measurement. This clarity supports accurate handling of digital memory and storage.
Kilobyte (KB)
The kilobyte, symbolized as KB, represents 1,000 bytes in the decimal system (SI), although in computing, it is commonly approximated as 1,024 bytes. The unit emerged in the 1960s as computer memory and storage expanded and was used for measuring small file sizes, such as text documents and early software. The kilobyte reflects the practical intersection of metric and binary measurements, which led to the introduction of binary-specific units, such as the kibibyte. Kilobytes are still used in some legacy systems and file specifications.