What does the term 'bus width' generally refer to in computing?

The term 'bus width' in computing refers to the number of bits that can be transmitted simultaneously over a computer bus. This is a critical specification as it determines how much data can be sent to and received from the CPU and memory in parallel during each cycle. A wider bus allows for the transfer of more data at one time, effectively enhancing the performance and speed of data processing within the system.

For example, if a system has a bus width of 32 bits, it can transmit 32 bits of data at once, while a 64-bit bus can send double that amount in each cycle. This characteristic is fundamental to the overall architecture and efficiency of data processing, influencing the performance of applications and system operations. Thus, understanding bus width is essential for evaluating and optimizing computer performance.