Computer Vocabulary Worksheet

Press Print worksheet to match twelve hardware terms, from motherboard to pixel, to their meanings.

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All 48 terms

Hardware 12

central processing unit The chip that carries out a program's instructions. It is called the CPU for short.
hard disk A spinning magnetic disk that stores files. Files on a hard disk stay there when the computer is off.
hardware A computer's physical parts, as opposed to its programs. A keyboard is hardware.
input device A device that sends data into a computer. A mouse and a microphone are input devices.
motherboard The large board that links every other part. The CPU sits in a socket on the motherboard.
output device A device that brings data out of a computer. A speaker and a printer are output devices.
peripheral Any add-on device that is connected to a computer. A scanner is a peripheral.
pixel The smallest unit of a screen image, lit in one color. A photo enlarged far enough shows its pixels as squares.
port A socket where a cable plugs into a computer. A charger plugs into a port.
random-access memory The fast working memory, wiped when the computer shuts off. It is called RAM for short.
solid-state drive A storage drive with no moving parts. It is called an SSD for short.
touchscreen A screen that senses the touch of a finger. A tablet is worked through its touchscreen.

Show all 48 terms (36 more)

Software and files 12

application A program made for one kind of task, such as writing. A calculator is a small application. App is the short form.
backup A second copy of files, kept safe for emergencies. A backup is stored apart from the original files.
database A large set of records arranged for quick searching. A library keeps its list of books in a database.
default The setting a program uses unless you change it. The default font is the one a new page starts with.
file A named collection of data saved on a computer. A photo, a song and an essay are each kept as a file.
file extension The letters after the dot in a file name, such as .txt. The file extension shows what kind of file it is.
folder A container on a drive that groups files together. One folder can sit inside another.
malware Software written to harm a computer or steal from it. A computer virus is one kind of malware.
operating system The software in charge of a computer's hardware and apps. The operating system starts when the computer is switched on.
reboot To shut a computer down and start it again. After a reboot the operating system loads again.
software Programs and apps: the part of a computer you cannot touch. A game is software.
user interface The screens and controls a person uses to work a program. Buttons and menus are parts of a user interface.

The internet 12

domain name The unique name of a website, such as example.com. A domain name ends in letters such as .org or .com.
download To copy a file from a far-off computer onto your own. A large file takes longer to download.
firewall A guard that blocks unwanted traffic to a computer. A firewall checks what comes in and what goes out.
hyperlink A clickable word or image that opens another page. A hyperlink is often underlined.
internet The global network made of many smaller networks joined up. Email travels over the internet.
network A group of computers linked so they can share data. The computers in a school lab are on one network.
search engine A site that finds web pages matching the words you type. A search engine lists its results in order.
server A computer that supplies data or services to other computers. A web server sends pages to the browsers that ask for them.
streaming Playing video or sound while it is still arriving. With streaming, a film can start before all of it has arrived.
web browser A program for viewing pages on the web. A web browser has a bar for typing an address.
website A group of web pages that share one home address. A school's website may list its calendar.
Wi-Fi Wireless networking: data sent by radio over a short range. A laptop joins Wi-Fi through a router.

Coding 12

algorithm An ordered list of steps that solves a problem. A recipe is a kind of algorithm.
binary Base two: counting with just a pair of digits, 0 and 1. In binary the number five is written 101.
bug An error in code that makes a program misbehave. One wrong sign can be a bug.
compiler A program that translates code for the machine. The compiler reports errors it finds on the way.
conditional An instruction that runs only if a test is true. "If the score is 10, show the prize" is a conditional.
debug To hunt down and remove the errors in code. Programmers debug by testing one part at a time.
function A named piece of code that is run by calling it. A function can be used many times in one program.
loop A set of instructions that repeats. A loop can count from 1 to 10.
programming language A set of words and rules for writing programs. Each programming language has its own rules.
source code A program as its author typed it. Source code is typed as lines of text.
syntax The rules for how code must be written. A missing bracket breaks the syntax.
variable A name in code that stands for a stored value. A game may keep the score in a variable.

How this list was compiled: Term list chosen for this site on 2026-10-02. Each meaning is written in our own words and was checked that day against the entry for the term in Wiktionary, the free dictionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/), whose text is under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, and, for central processing unit, binary, conditional and debug, against the article Glossary of computer science in English Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/), whose text is under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. The example after each meaning is our own. Licence: own work

How it works

This computer vocabulary worksheet prints twelve terms down the left and their meanings, mixed up, down the right. Four sets cover hardware, software and files, the internet, and coding.

Read the full guide

Four sets for a computer technology vocabulary worksheet

Set opens on Hardware: central processing unit, motherboard, random-access memory, hard disk, peripheral, port and pixel. Software and files has operating system, application, folder, backup and default. The internet has network, web browser, hyperlink, firewall and server.

A coding vocabulary worksheet

Set to Coding, the sheet prints algorithm, bug, debug, loop, variable, function, conditional, binary, syntax, programming language, source code and compiler. Under the tool each term has an example: In binary the number five is written 101.

The first three sets make free computer literacy vocabulary worksheets; Coding stands on its own.

Questions and answers

What are basic computer vocabulary words?

Hardware words such as motherboard, port and pixel; software words such as operating system, file, folder and backup; internet words such as network, hyperlink and server; and coding words such as algorithm, loop and variable.

What is the difference between hardware and software?

Hardware is the parts of a computer that you can touch, such as the motherboard and the screen. Software is the programs that tell the computer what to do, such as the operating system and each application.

Is this a computer vocabulary definitions worksheet?

Yes. Each term is matched to a one-line definition in our own words, checked against a dictionary. The full list under the tool repeats every definition with an example.

Can I save the computer vocabulary worksheets as a PDF?

Press Print worksheet and choose Save as PDF in the browser's print window; there is no PDF button. The file ends with the answer key: the sheet with a line from each term to its definition.

All 48 terms

Hardware 12

Software and files 12

The internet 12

Coding 12

How it works

Four sets for a computer technology vocabulary worksheet

A coding vocabulary worksheet

Questions and answers

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