Embed

Embed, in computing, is the act of placing an object, component, or content inside a host document or application so that it becomes part of the host’s interface or function. The embedded item is loaded and managed by the host rather than running as a separate process.

In web development, embedding refers to incorporating external resources into a page. The HTML embed element is used to embed external content at a specific location, such as multimedia, plugins, or interactive content. The element can specify attributes like src, width, height, and type. Modern web design often relies on native elements such as video, audio, or iframes for embedded content, with the embed element retained mainly for legacy plugins.

Embedded systems are a related use of the term, describing dedicated computers integrated within larger devices. These systems run software chosen for real-time control, reliability, and constrained resources, frequently on specialized hardware and with limited user interfaces. They are common in consumer electronics, automobiles, medical devices, and industrial equipment.

In data science, embedding refers to techniques that map discrete items to dense vector representations in a continuous space. Examples include word embeddings in natural language processing and item embeddings in recommendation systems. Embeddings enable models to capture semantic relationships and measure similarity between items.

Practical considerations for embedding include compatibility with host systems, security and privacy implications, performance, and accessibility. Providing fallbacks and adhering to standards helps ensure embedded content functions across diverse environments.