Network Latency
Network latency is the time delay in data transmission over a network, measured as the round-trip time (RTT) for a packet to travel from source to destination and back. It is a critical performance metric in networking that affects the responsiveness and efficiency of applications, especially real-time systems like video conferencing, online gaming, and financial trading platforms. High latency can lead to lag, buffering, and poor user experiences.
Developers should understand network latency to optimize application performance, particularly for distributed systems, cloud services, and real-time applications where delays impact functionality. It is essential for troubleshooting network issues, designing low-latency architectures (e.g., using CDNs or edge computing), and ensuring compliance with service-level agreements (SLAs) in industries like finance or gaming. Knowledge of latency helps in selecting appropriate protocols (e.g., UDP vs. TCP) and implementing caching or compression strategies.