código

Código is the Spanish noun for "code" and is used to refer to any organized collection of rules, symbols, or standards that governs a domain or conveys information. The term is common in legal, computing, and everyday language, where it names both formal frameworks and informal shorthand for rules.

In a legal context, a código is a systematic compilation of statutes that regulates a broad area of law, such as civil, penal, or commercial matters. Codes aim to harmonize and simplify rules within civil law jurisdictions, differing from common law traditions that rely heavily on case law. Historical exemplars include the Napoleonic Code and other continental codes that shaped modern statute-based systems.

In computing and information technology, código often refers to code itself, namely the instructions written in a programming language (código fuente) that a computer executes. The term also appears in phrases like código de cifrado (encryption code) and other codes used for data encoding. Beyond software, code can denote standardized communication systems, such as Morse code or barcode systems.

Many professional and social contexts use the word in compound forms: código de ética (code of ethics), código de conducta (code of conduct), código postal (postal code), código de barras (barcode), and ISO standards such as language codes (códigos de idioma).

Originating from Latin codex and related to the idea of a written compilation, código remains a versatile label across law, technology, and everyday life.