What is the size of a byte?

A byte is comprised of 8 bits. This is a fundamental unit of data in computer systems, and it serves as a basic building block for storing information. The size of a byte allows it to represent a variety of values, including characters in a text file, which can range from letter characters to control characters. The standardization of a byte to 8 bits also enables consistency across various computer architectures, facilitating communication and data exchange between different systems. Additionally, the use of 8 bits in a byte aligns with the binary nature of computing, where each bit can be either a 0 or a 1, allowing for 256 different combinations (2^8) represented by a single byte. This makes it possible to encode a wide range of data types efficiently.