Dataport

Dataport is a term used in computing to describe an interface or channel through which data is transferred between components, devices, or software processes. The exact meaning depends on context, and there is no single standardized specification for a dataport across all domains.

In hardware design, a dataport is a named set of pins or signals on a digital component that carry data in a specific direction. Dataports are characterized by attributes such as data width, direction (input, output, bidirectional), timing requirements, and sometimes signaling standards. They form the data side of a component's datapath, linking registers, arithmetic units, memory interfaces, and peripherals. In FPGA and ASIC design, designers connect dataports to realize data flows between modules and to implement pipelines and parallel processing.

In software and systems architectures, dataports can refer to logical channels or endpoints used to move data between components, services, or nodes. These dataports may be implemented as memory buffers, queues, sockets, or streaming interfaces, and they are often described in terms of throughput, latency, and data semantics, such as whether data is streaming, chunked, or packetized. Dataport concepts also appear in dataflow models and message-passing systems, where tokens of data travel along pathways between processing elements.

Because the term is used informally across domains, the precise definition of a dataport depends on the design language or framework being used. It is generally understood as a transfer point for data, distinguished from control paths or address channels.