Mostsignificantfirst
Mostsignificantfirst (MSF) is a concept used to describe data handling that begins with the most significant portion of a value. This applies to digits in a number, bytes in a multi-byte value, or bits in a bit string. When data is represented or processed in MSF order, the leading part carries the highest weight for interpretation or comparison.
In computing, MSF is closely related to big-endian endianness, where the most significant byte is stored or
Applications include network protocols and file formats that specify network byte order, cryptographic algorithms that scan
Advantages of MSF include intuitive alignment with human reading order and the ability to decide the outcome
Related terms include endianness, big-endian, and most significant digit. See also left-to-right processing, which in some