Socket

Socket

1. An IP address and port number. Applications communicate by sockets - the ip address indicates the network address of the machine to which messages should be sent and the port number is the logical destination on that machine.

2. A receptacle into which a component can be fitted. The socket is the female component of any plug and socket arrangement. For example on the motherboard of a computer the CPU will be fitted into a matching socket (which may sometimes take the form of a slot), or for with a portable CD player the headphones will plug into the headphone socket.