A**byte**is a[unit](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit "Unit")of[measurement](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurement "Measurement")of the size of[information](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information "Information")on a[computer](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer "Computer")or other[electronic](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics "Electronics")device. A single byte is usually eight[bits](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit "Bit"). Some early computers used six bits for each byte. Bits are the smallest unit of storage on a computer, a single on/off value. Bytes are often represented by the capital letter**B**, bits by a lower case**b**.
A single typed[character](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character "Character")(for example, 'x' or '8') is stored in one byte. The character is held as a[binary](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary "Binary")number which[encodes](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encode "Encode")a text character. To map each number to a character an agreed code such as[EBCDIC](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBCDIC "EBCDIC")or[ASCII](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII "ASCII")is needed. EBCDIC is a[character encoding](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_encoding "Character encoding")used mainly on[mainframe computers](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainframe_computer "Mainframe computer"). It uses 8 bits per byte. ASCII is another encoding that only uses seven bits._Extended ASCII_uses 8 bits to give more types of characters, mostly used on[personal computers](https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computers "Personal computers").
## Introducing a qyte
In the field of quantum information science we want to draw similar enough connections. A qyte is a unit of measurement of the size of quantum information on quantum devices. A single qyte is usually 8 qubits. Some earlier computers used binary qubits for each byte. This is not the case for the kyte.
