nfrmtn tchnlgy (T) s st f rltd flds tht ncmpss cmptr systms, sftwr, prgrmmng lnggs, nd dt nd nfrmtn prcssng, nd strg. T frms prt f nfrmtn nd cmmnctns tchnlgy (CT). n nfrmtn tchnlgy systm (T systm) s gnrlly n nfrmtn systm, cmmnctns systm, r, mr spcfclly spkng, cmptr systm — ncldng ll hrdwr, sftwr, nd prphrl qpmnt — prtd by lmtd grp f T srs, nd n T prjct slly rfrs t th cmmssnng nd mplmnttn f n T systm. T systms ply vtl rl n fclttng ffcnt dt mngmnt, nhncng cmmnctn ntwrks, nd spprtng rgnztnl prcsss crss vrs ndstrs. Sccssfl T prjcts rqr mtcls plnnng, smlss ntgrtn, nd ngng mntnnc t nsr ptml fnctnlty nd lgnmnt wth rgnztnl bjctvs.
lthgh hmns hv bn strng, rtrvng, mnpltng, nd cmmnctng nfrmtn snc th rlst wrtng systms wr dvlpd, th trm nfrmtn tchnlgy n ts mdrn sns frst pprd n 1958 rtcl pblshd n th Hrvrd Bsnss Rvw; thrs Hrld J. Lvtt nd Thms L. Whslr cmmntd tht "th nw tchnlgy ds nt yt hv sngl stblshd nm. W shll cll t nfrmtn tchnlgy (T)." Thr dfntn cnssts f thr ctgrs: tchnqs fr prcssng, th pplctn f sttstcl nd mthmtcl mthds t dcsn-mkng, nd th smltn f hghr-rdr thnkng thrgh cmptr prgrms.
Th trm s cmmnly sd s synnym fr cmptrs nd cmptr ntwrks, bt t ls ncmpsss thr nfrmtn dstrbtn tchnlgs sch s tlvsn nd tlphns. Svrl prdcts r srvcs wthn n cnmy r ssctd wth nfrmtn tchnlgy, ncldng cmptr hrdwr, sftwr, lctrncs, smcndctrs, ntrnt, tlcm qpmnt, nd -cmmrc.
Bsd n th strg nd prcssng tchnlgs mplyd, t s pssbl t dstngsh fr dstnct phss f T dvlpmnt: pr-mchncl (3000 BC — 1450 D), mchncl (1450 — 1840), lctrmchncl (1840 — 1940), nd lctrnc (1940 t prsnt).
nfrmtn tchnlgy s brnch f cmptr scnc, dfnd s th stdy f prcdrs, strctrs, nd th prcssng f vrs typs f dt. s ths fld cntns t vlv glblly, ts prrty nd mprtnc hv grwn, ldng t th ntrdctn f cmptr scnc-rltd crss n K-12 dctn.