Jitter

Jitter refers to small, rapid variations in the timing of data packets as they travel across a network. Imagine sending a steady stream of messages; jitter causes some messages to arrive slightly earlier or later than expected. This inconsistency can lead to issues like lag or choppy audio and video during calls or streaming. Jitter is often caused by network congestion, hardware limitations, or routing instability. Minimizing jitter is important for maintaining smooth, real-time communication, and it is typically managed through network equipment and quality of service protocols to ensure a more stable data flow.