Deskriptor

Deskriptor, or descriptor, is a term used across multiple technical domains to denote an attribute, feature, or handle that describes or identifies an object, resource, or item. The core idea is that a descriptor provides essential information that allows a system to interpret, access, or compare the described element.

In computing and operating systems, descriptors are concrete data structures or handles that represent resources. A common example is the file descriptor, an integer used by a process to refer to an open file or I/O resource. Descriptors enable the kernel to perform operations such as read, write, or seek by mapping the descriptor to the underlying resource. Sockets and other I/O objects may also be addressed by descriptors in many environments. In object-oriented programming, the term descriptor is also used for the descriptor protocol, notably in Python, where objects implementing methods like __get__, __set__, and __delete__ control attribute access. Data descriptors participate in the language’s attribute management, influencing how and when values are retrieved or assigned.

In data science and information management, descriptors commonly refer to features or attributes that characterize items in a dataset. Descriptors can be handcrafted or learned and are used to represent data in vector spaces for tasks such as classification, clustering, or similarity search. Metadata descriptors describe properties of data, such as provenance, format, or quality attributes, aiding discovery and interoperability.

Overall, deskriptor denotes a descriptive handle used to identify, access, compare, or characterize an object within a system, spanning computing, programming, and data contexts.