Computer Hardware Terms, Glossary and Dictionary

Input/output, or I/O, is a process or operation that transfers data to or from a computer or a processor. It also refers to the interfaces of different computer units or sub-systems to communicate with each other. Inputs are the signals received by the unit, and outputs are the signals sent from it. The term can also be used as part of an action; to "do I/O" is to perform an input or output operation. Typical I/O devices include printers, hard disk, keyboard and mouse. Some devices are basically input-only devices (keyboard and mouse); others are primarily output-only devices (such as CD) while still others provide both input and output of data (hard disk, diskette, writeable CD-ROMs).

Related Terms

I/O: Input/Output