datalijn

Datalijn is a Dutch term that literally translates to data line and is used to describe a path that carries digital information between components or systems. The term appears in electronics, networking and data processing to denote both physical media and logical channels for data transmission.

In electronics and computer hardware, a dataline refers to a single conductor or a pair of conductors that transmits a digital signal. Several datalines together form a data bus, enabling parallel transfer of multiple bits. Typical examples are the data lines between a microprocessor and memory or peripherals, often labeled D0, D1, and so on. In modern devices, several datalines may be grouped into data lanes to increase bandwidth, as seen in high-speed interfaces where multiple differential pairs operate together.

In telecommunications and data networks, dataline can denote a dedicated data circuit or channel that carries digital traffic between endpoints. This use covers leased lines, dedicated fiber or managed circuits, and the media and signaling used to transmit data across a network. The exact technical characteristics depend on the interface (electrical, optical, protocol) but the underlying idea is a discrete path for data.

The term is also used more generally in Dutch technical writing to refer to any single data signal line on a schematic or diagram, or to a channel within a larger data-transfer system.

See also: data bus, data channel, data link layer, data lane.