Asynchronous
Asynchronous may refer to any of the following:
1. Alternatively called async and start/stop transmission, asynchronous is a data transmission where the communication can start and stop at any time. Data sent through an asynchronous transmission contains a start bit and stop bit, helping the receiving end know when it has received all its data.
2. An asynchronous circuit, also known as a self-timed circuit, is a digital logic circuit not governed by a clock signal.
3. Asynchronous cellular automata are cellular automata that update independently of each other. Despite updating asynchronously, new cell states immediately affect the calculations of any connected cells.
4. Asynchronous programming is an approach to writing computer programs so that events happen outside of the main program flow, in the same overlapping time frame. These types of programs are called "non-blocking," because the program can continue without being "blocked" by waiting for events, like user input or network activity. This general paradigm of computing is called asynchrony.
5. Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, also known as AJAX. See our AJAX definition for further information.
6. Asynchronous method dispatch, also known as AMD, is a client-server networking model that a server does not need to wait for a client's response before processing other client requests.