Latency

The time delay between sending a request and receiving a response, measured in milliseconds, critically affecting real-time applications.

What is Latency?

Latency is the time delay in data transmission - the time it takes for a packet to travel from source to destination. Measured in milliseconds (ms), low latency is crucial for real-time applications like video calls, gaming, and financial trading.

Types of Latency

Network Latency: Time for data to traverse the network
Processing Latency: Time for devices to process packets
Propagation Latency: Time for signals to travel the medium
Queuing Latency: Time spent waiting in buffers

Measuring Latency

Ping: Round-trip time (RTT) measurement
Traceroute: Latency at each network hop
Application monitoring: End-to-end latency

Acceptable Latency Ranges

Gaming: < 50ms preferred, < 100ms playable
Video Calls: < 150ms for smooth conversation
VoIP: < 150ms one-way
Web Browsing: < 100ms feels responsive

Reducing Latency

Use nearby servers (CDN, edge computing)
Optimize network paths
Upgrade to faster connections
Reduce hops and processing
Use caching effectively
Choose appropriate protocols