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Binary code is a system of representing text, computer processor instructions, or any other data using a two-symbol alphabet consisting of two binary digits, or bits. These bits are typically represented by the symbols 0 and 1. In computing, the most common form of binary code is the ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) character encoding, which assigns a unique binary number to each letter, digit, and punctuation mark.

Computers use binary code because their internal components, such as transistors, operate on an on/off principle, which can be easily represented by the two states of a binary digit. These states correspond to electrical signals, where a high voltage might represent a 1 and a low voltage might represent a 0. This fundamental duality allows for the processing and storage of vast amounts of information within a computer system.

The conversion between human-readable characters and binary code is handled by encoding and decoding schemes. For example, when you type a letter on your keyboard, it is converted into its binary representation, sent to the computer's processor, and then often converted back into a visual representation on your screen. Understanding binary code is crucial for comprehending the fundamental workings of digital computers and how they manipulate data. It forms the bedrock of all digital information processing.