THE WORDWHEEL GUIDE

Computing vocabulary game

Computing borrows ordinary words and gives them technical jobs. An array organizes values, a loop repeats instructions, and a cache keeps a reusable copy nearby. This pack helps connect that vocabulary to small examples you can recognize when reading code or documentation.

Updated September 25, 2026

Play Computing →Read the 44-term glossary

For new programmers and readers learning the language of computing.

What to notice as you learn

A string is a sequence of characters; an array is an indexed collection of values. A cache keeps data for faster reuse; a buffer temporarily holds data while it moves or is processed. Their purposes can overlap, but the names emphasize different roles.

Imagine a short program that uses the term. Explain what is stored or what happens next. Review cards ask you to retrieve the term from its meaning, so try answering before revealing the word.

How this topic game works

There are 14 levels in this starter pack. Each accepts only words from the Computing glossary below. Use the required highlighted letter and each tile at most once. Find 3–5 matching terms on the same wheel to complete each level, with no timer. Keep collecting words until the count reaches the goal, then choose Next level. Each level offers extra valid answers beyond the goal. Any glossary term that fits the board counts, so a clue is a suggestion rather than a required answer.

Clues offer definitions and optional letter reveals. Three reveals are shared across a board and saved if you leave. Read the full meaning after a discovery for its example sentence and reference. Levels repeat after the last one. Review vocabulary is optional: use it to recall discovered words from their meanings, and keep a personal list of terms to practise again.

Computing glossary: 44 terms to practise

These are the pack’s complete vocabulary list. The notes and examples below are original introductory explanations by Wordwheel; references provide fuller context. A word may have other meanings outside this subject.

code: Instructions written in a programming language.; Example: The code checks whether the input is empty.; MDN · Computing glossary
data: Information represented in a form a computer can process.; Example: The program reads temperature data.; MDN · Computing glossary
array: An indexed collection of values.; Example: The array stores the scores in order.; MDN · Computing glossary
loop: A control structure that repeats instructions.; Example: The loop processes each item.; MDN · Computing glossary
byte: A unit of digital information normally consisting of eight bits.; Example: A byte can represent 256 distinct bit patterns.; MDN · Computing glossary
cache: Storage for copies of data kept for faster reuse.; Example: The browser cache can reuse a downloaded file.; MDN · Computing glossary
stack: A collection where the last item added is the first removed.; Example: The program pushes a value onto the stack.; MDN · Computing glossary
string: A sequence of characters used as text data.; Example: The string contains the player’s name.; MDN · Computing glossary
binary: Using two possible digits or states, commonly zero and one.; Example: The number is written in binary.; MDN · Computing glossary
query: A request to retrieve or operate on data.; Example: The database query selects matching records.; MDN · Computing glossary
buffer: Temporary storage used while data is transferred or processed.; Example: The buffer holds incoming bytes.; MDN · Computing glossary
file: A named collection of data stored as a unit.; Example: The program saves the result in a file.; MDN · Computing glossary
bit: A binary digit with one of two possible values.; Example: Each bit is either zero or one.; MDN · Computing glossary
set: A collection of distinct values.; Example: The set keeps each player name only once.; MDN · Computing glossary
map: A collection associating keys with values.; Example: The map links each word to its score.; MDN · Computing glossary
tree: A branching data structure with parent and child relationships.; Example: The document is represented as a tree.; MDN · Computing glossary
node: An individual item in a linked structure such as a tree or graph.; Example: The node has two child nodes.; MDN · Computing glossary
edge: A connection between two nodes in a graph.; Example: The edge links the two locations.; MDN · Computing glossary
heap: A memory region used for dynamically allocated objects; also a particular tree-based data structure.; Example: The object is allocated on the heap.; MDN · Computing glossary
type: A classification that determines the values and operations available for data.; Example: The variable has a numeric type.; MDN · Computing glossary
cast: An explicit conversion or interpretation of a value as a particular type.; Example: The code uses a cast to convert the value.; MDN · Computing glossary
sort: To arrange values according to an ordering rule.; Example: Sort the scores from highest to lowest.; MDN · Computing glossary
list: An ordered collection of items.; Example: The list holds the tasks in order.; MDN · Computing glossary
test: A check that software behaves as expected.; Example: The test verifies that duplicate words are rejected.; MDN · Computing glossary
unit: A small component considered in isolation, as in unit testing.; Example: The test checks one unit of the program.; MDN · Computing glossary
char: A common programming abbreviation or type name for a character.; Example: The char value represents one letter.; MDN · Computing glossary
class: A definition used to describe a category of objects and their behaviour.; Example: The class defines a player object.; MDN · Computing glossary
script: A program typically run by an interpreter or within another application.; Example: The script processes the input file.; MDN · Computing glossary
token: A meaningful unit recognized when text or code is processed.; Example: The parser reads the next token.; MDN · Computing glossary
term: An item in an expression or a word used in a search.; Example: The query includes a search term.; MDN · Computing glossary
port: A numbered endpoint used by transport protocols to direct network communication.; Example: The server listens on a port.; MDN · Computing glossary
host: A computer or system providing or accessing services on a network.; Example: The host serves the requested page.; MDN · Computing glossary
site: A collection of related web pages and resources.; Example: The site includes a vocabulary guide.; MDN · Computing glossary
path: A sequence identifying a location in a file system or URL.; Example: The path points to the saved file.; MDN · Computing glossary
route: A mapping that directs a request to a destination or handler.; Example: The route handles requests for the game page.; MDN · Computing glossary
core: A processing unit within a processor.; Example: The program runs work on another core.; MDN · Computing glossary
cpu: Central processing unit: the component that executes program instructions.; Example: The CPU processes the instructions.; MDN · Computing glossary
ram: Random-access memory used for working data and instructions.; Example: The application stores temporary data in RAM.; MDN · Computing glossary
rom: Read-only memory, designed to retain stored information without ordinary writes.; Example: The device stores firmware in ROM.; MDN · Computing glossary
bus: A communication system carrying information between computer components.; Example: The bus transfers data between components.; MDN · Computing glossary
ruby: A programming language emphasizing objects and expressive syntax.; Example: The program is written in Ruby.; Ruby · About the language
free: To release allocated memory or another resource for reuse.; Example: The routine must free the allocated memory.; MDN · Computing glossary
user: A person or account interacting with a computer system.; Example: The user chooses a vocabulary topic.; MDN · Computing glossary
key: A value used to identify or look up an entry in a collection.; Example: The map uses a word as its key.; MDN · Computing glossary

References and further reading

These organizations are reference sources, not sponsors or endorsers of the game. Follow their material to explore the subject beyond this short pack.

Continue your vocabulary practice

Topic discoveries and review choices are saved only in this browser. Practice scores stay separate from public rankings. You can return to the original general-vocabulary game at any time.