skalálható

Scalable refers to the ability of a system, network, or process to handle a growing amount of work, or its potential to be enlarged to accommodate that growth. In computing, scalability is a desirable characteristic of a system that allows it to cope with increasing demand by adding resources, either hardware (scaling up) or software (scaling out). A system that is scalable can adapt to changes in user load, transaction volume, or data size without significant performance degradation.

There are two main types of scalability: vertical scalability (scaling up) and horizontal scalability (scaling out). Vertical scalability involves increasing the capacity of an existing node, such as adding more CPU power, RAM, or storage to a single server. This can be effective up to a certain limit, after which it becomes prohibitively expensive or technically infeasible. Horizontal scalability involves adding more nodes to a system, distributing the workload across multiple machines. This approach is often more flexible and cost-effective for very large-scale applications, as it allows for incremental growth and fault tolerance.

Scalability is a crucial consideration in many fields, including software development, cloud computing, database management, and network design. Systems designed with scalability in mind can better serve a growing user base, adapt to fluctuating workloads, and maintain performance and reliability over time. Measuring scalability often involves analyzing performance metrics such as response time, throughput, and resource utilization under varying load conditions.