A type of EEPROM that stores data in arrays of floating-gate or charge-trapping memory cells. It retains its stored state even when power is removed. Because it is erased and written in large blocks rather than at the byte level, it achieves high densities and fast read speeds, forming the basis of solid-state drives, microcontrollers, and portable storage.
Heard on the job
The bootloader sits in a protected sector of the flash memory so it can't be accidentally overwritten.
Also heard as
- flash
Do not mix it up with
- EEPROM: Traditional EEPROM is erased and rewritten byte by byte, whereas flash memory is erased in large blocks.