Latenz

Latenz, or latency, is the time delay between a cause and its effect in a system. In computing and communications it is commonly defined as the interval between sending a request and receiving the corresponding response. End-to-end latency combines several components: propagation latency (the time for a signal to travel through a medium), transmission latency (the time to push the data onto the link), processing latency (time spent in devices or software computing), and queueing latency (time data waits in buffers).

Latency is usually measured in milliseconds and is a critical factor in user experience and real-time applications. Lower latency generally improves interactivity, while high latency can cause perceptible delays in activities such as online gaming, voice and video calls, and remote control of devices. Domain-specific expectations vary: local networks may exhibit single-digit to tens of milliseconds, while wide-area networks can range from tens to hundreds of milliseconds.

Several factors influence latency, including physical distance, routing, network congestion, link speed, and the race conditions introduced by hardware and software processing. Latency is distinct from bandwidth (the amount of data that can be transferred per unit time) and from jitter (the variation in latency over time).

Common strategies to reduce latency include optimizing routing, increasing bandwidth, deploying edge computing, caching frequently used data, and streamlining protocols and hardware processing. In German technical usage, Latenz is the standard term for this concept, with Verzögerung as a close synonym.