Standards are agreed guidelines that provide rules for areas of computing. They ensure that hardware and software from different manufacturers can work together and communicate effectively.
Key points
Definition:Standards: agreed rules and guidelines that allow hardware and software from different manufacturers/producers to interact and communicate.
Standards ensure interoperability — devices from different companies can work together.
Without standards, devices and software from different manufacturers might not be able to communicate.
Exam Tip:If asked why standards are important, emphasise that they allow products from DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS to be compatible and work together.