Kódolni

Kódolni is a Hungarian verb that means to code. It has two main senses: to write source code for software (programming) and to encode information into a coded form (encoding or encryption). In everyday IT language, the programming sense is common, while the encoding sense appears in data transmission and cryptography contexts.

Etymology: The verb derives from kód, meaning code, which is borrowed from English (code) or, through common linguistic pathways, from other European languages. The suffix -ol- forms the verb, and the related noun kódolás denotes the process of encoding or coding.

Programming sense: In software development, kódolni means to write program code in a programming language. The related noun form kódolás refers to the act of coding, while forráskód means source code. The term is widely used alongside programozni (to program) in technical and educational contexts.

Encoding sense: In data processing, communication, and cryptography, kódolni means to convert data into a coded representation for transmission, storage, or security. Kódolás covers encoding methods such as character encoding, data compression, or encryption; dekódolás denotes decoding.

Usage notes: The term is context-dependent. In formal technical writing, more precise terminology is often preferred (forráskód, kódolás, dekódolás, titkosítás). In everyday language, kódolni is understood from context to refer either to programming or to data encoding.