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What does "latency" mean in programming?
latency is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.
Definition
The time it takes for data to travel from source to destination. High latency means slow responses. Network latency is measured in milliseconds and is affected by physical distance, routing, and congestion.
Example
"Users in South America experience higher latency because the servers are in the US."
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