Latency is a measure of the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another in a network or system. It is essentially the delay experienced during the transmission of information. This delay can be influenced by various factors such as the distance between the source and destination, the speed of data transmission, and the efficiency of the underlying infrastructure.

In computing and telecommunications, latency is a critical factor in determining the responsiveness of applications and services. A lower latency implies quicker response times, resulting in a more seamless and efficient user experience. For example, in online gaming, low latency is crucial for minimising delays between a player’s action and the corresponding reaction in the game.

In networking, latency can be categorised into different types, including transmission latency (the time taken to push data onto the network), propagation latency (the time it takes for data to travel through the network medium), and processing latency (the time spent by network devices in processing data). Minimising latency is a constant goal in the design and optimisation of networks to enhance real-time communication, video streaming, and other time-sensitive applications.

Understanding and managing latency is essential in various domains, from telecoms and cloud computing to online services, where delivering a prompt and responsive user experience is paramount.