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Definition: byte addressable
The primary characteristic of random access memory (RAM), which is the workplace in every phone, tablet and computer. Byte addressability highlights the essential difference between memory and storage. It means that a single character or any number of contiguous characters in memory can be calculated, compared and copied with any other data in memory. In contrast, the processor reads and writes hard disks, SSDs and flash drives a block of several hundred or several thousand bytes at a time (see sector). See memory, 3 C's and dynamic RAM.
Execute Instructions and Process Data
Byte addressability enables the CPU to fetch each program instruction residing in memory in order to execute it. It enables data to be processed. Even a single numeric digit can be calculated, compared and copied independently of the data residing in the byte before or after it. Contrast with block addressable. See storage vs. memory, 3D XPoint, memory, SSD and magnetic disk.
Each Byte Is Addressable
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Execute Instructions and Process Data
Byte addressability enables the CPU to fetch each program instruction residing in memory in order to execute it. It enables data to be processed. Even a single numeric digit can be calculated, compared and copied independently of the data residing in the byte before or after it. Contrast with block addressable. See storage vs. memory, 3D XPoint, memory, SSD and magnetic disk.
Byte addressable RAM allows contiguous data to be split apart for human readability. For more examples, see 3 C's.
Each byte of RAM has its own unique address. The operating system stores the program instructions in RAM and records the address of the first instruction. From that point, all instructions reference unique memory locations.