Computer hardware

Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computersoftware that executes within the hardware. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in comparison with software and data, which are "soft" in the sense that they are readily created, modified or erased on the computer. Firmware is a special type of software that rarely, if ever, needs to be changed and so is stored on hardware devices such as ROM where it is not readily changed (and is, therefore, "firm" rather than just "soft").