Punch Card Systems

Punch card systems were an early method of data input, processing, and storage using cards with holes punched in specific positions. Each card represented information, such as a record or data set, with hole patterns encoding different values. These cards were fed into machines—like computers or tabulating machines—that read the holes to process transactions or calculations automatically. Widely used from the late 19th to mid-20th century, punch card systems revolutionized data management but eventually phased out with more advanced digital technologies. They laid foundational concepts for automated data processing still relevant today.