inputsize

Inputsize, often written as input size, is a general term used in computing to describe the amount of data supplied to a computation, function, or system. It is a measure of the data that must be processed and is often used to analyze performance, resource requirements, and scalability. In theoretical contexts, input size is typically denoted n and may refer to the number of items in a set, the length of a string, or the number of vertices and edges in a graph, depending on the problem.

In algorithm analysis, the input size is a primary parameter that drives time and space complexity. Many algorithms have complexities expressed as functions of n, such as O(n log n) for sorting or O(n^2) for certain comparisons. When multiple parameters describe the input (for example, number of vertices n and number of edges m in a graph), complexities may be functions of several variables, like O(n + m) or O(nm).

Across domains, input size can correspond to different concrete measures: the length of a data sequence, the number of records in a dataset, the number of features in a feature vector, or the total number of bytes to be read. In machine learning, input size commonly refers to the dimensionality of input features or the number of samples in a batch, both of which affect memory usage and computation.

Measuring and controlling input size is important for performance tuning, resource planning, and ensuring that systems handle worst-case or peak data volumes. Input size is also a consideration in input validation and streaming or incremental processing, where data arrives gradually rather than all at once.