buswide

Buswide is a descriptive term used in electronics and computer engineering to indicate something that spans or operates across the full width of a data bus. A data bus is a set of parallel signal lines that carries data between components, and its width is typically measured in bits (for example 8, 16, 32, or 64 bits). When an operation or interface is described as buswide, it implies that the activity involves the complete set of data lines defined by the bus width, rather than a narrower subset.

In practice, buswide concepts appear in several contexts. A buswide data transfer moves a complete data word in one bus cycle, matching the bus width. Buswide signaling may refer to control and timing signals that are valid for the entire bus during a transfer. Hardware designers may contrast buswide transfers with partial-width transfers, where only a portion of the bus is used and the remainder is masked or ignored. Some systems support configurable bus widths, enabling different modes (for example, 8- or 16-bit operation) and thus changing what is considered buswide at a given moment.

Buswide terminology is common in hardware design documentation, System-on-Chip specifications, and embedded systems discussions. It is not a formal standard term with universal definitions; its precise meaning can vary with the specific bus protocol and context. When used, it is typically clarified alongside references to bus width, transfer granularity, and protocol timing.

See also: bus width, data bus, memory bus, IO bus, bus protocol.