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What does "partition" mean in programming?

partition 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

In distributed systems, a network partition occurs when some nodes cannot communicate with others due to a network failure. Part of the CAP theorem: during a partition, a system must choose between remaining consistent or remaining available.

Example

"During the network partition, the two data centers could not sync — the system chose availability over consistency."

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