Computer

A computer (also called a computer or kumbuyuutar) is a device that processes data by executing pre-written instructions called programs and producing results. The defining feature of modern computers is that programs can be changed: the same machine can perform different tasks when new instructions are entered.

A computer consists of two parts: hardware, such as the processor, memory, and input and output devices; and software, such as the operating system and applications. Data inside the computer is represented in binary code, which uses two-state digits, conventionally written as 0 and 1.

Theoretical foundations

In 1936 Alan Turing published a paper on computable numbers, which described a conceptual machine that executes instructions step by step. This concept, known as the Turing machine, became the theoretical foundation for understanding what computers can and cannot do.

The most widely adopted design uses a single memory to hold both data and program instructions. This stored-program architecture made it possible for computers to perform new tasks without requiring physical redesign of the hardware.

Early electronic computers

ENIAC, built at the University of Pennsylvania during World War II, is considered one of the earliest fully electronic computers and used vacuum tubes. First-generation machines of this kind were large, power-hungry, and required manual rewiring to change programs.

The transistor shift and integrated circuits

Vacuum tubes were later replaced by transistors, which were smaller and consumed less power. In 1958 the integrated circuit was introduced, a design in which many components are built together on a single semiconductor chip. This opened the way for the number of components on a single chip to increase dramatically while computers became smaller and more powerful.

Types and uses

Today computers exist in many forms: personal computers that are desktop or portable, modern mobile phones, data center servers, large computers used for scientific research, and small computers embedded in cars, security systems, and household appliances. Applications include telecommunications, data management, image processing, and scientific computing.

The spread of computers and the internet continues. The International Telecommunication Union estimated in 2024 that approximately 5.5 billion people use the internet, while about 30 percent of the global population still lacks connectivity, particularly in countries with lower incomes.