Module, modular and modularity may refer to the concept of

modularity Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a s ...

. They may also refer to:

Computing and engineering

Modular design Modular design, or modularity in design, is a design principle that subdivides a system into smaller parts called ''modules'' (such as modular process skids), which can be independently created, modified, replaced, or exchanged with other modules ...

, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components *

Modular function deployment Modular Function Deployment (MFD) is a method for creating modular product architectures, based on research performed at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in the 1990s. As a result of said research, the companModular Managementwas registered in 1996 ...

, a method in systems engineering and product development * Module, a measure of a gear's pitch * Ontology modularization, a methodological principle in ontology engineering

Computer software

Modular programming Modular programming is a software design technique that emphasizes separating the functionality of a program into independent, interchangeable modules, such that each contains everything necessary to execute only one aspect of the desired functio ...

, a software design technique *

Loadable kernel module In computing, a loadable kernel module (LKM) is an object file that contains code to extend the running kernel, or so-called ''base kernel'', of an operating system. LKMs are typically used to add support for new hardware (as device drivers) and ...

an object file that contains code to extend the running kernel * Environment Modules, a software tool designed to help users manage their UNIX or Linux shell environment *

Modula-2 Modula-2 is a structured, procedural programming language developed between 1977 and 1985/8 by Niklaus Wirth at ETH Zurich. It was created as the language for the operating system and application software of the Lilith personal workstation. It w ...

Modula-3 Modula-3 is a programming language conceived as a successor to an upgraded version of Modula-2 known as Modula-2+. While it has been influential in research circles (influencing the designs of languages such as Java, C#, and Python) it has not ...

, programming languages which stress the use of modules

Computer hardware

Computer module A computer module is a selection of independent electronic circuits packaged onto a circuit board to provide a basic function within a computer. An example might be an inverter or flip-flop, which would require two or more transistors and a sm ...

, an early packaging technique that combined several electronic components to produce a single logic element *

Memory module In computing, a memory module or RAM (random-access memory) stick is a printed circuit board on which memory integrated circuits are mounted. Memory modules permit easy installation and replacement in electronic systems, especially computers such ...

, a physical "stick" of RAM, an essential piece of computer hardware *

Multi-chip module A multi-chip module (MCM) is generically an electronic assembly (such as a package with a number of conductor terminals or "pins") where multiple integrated circuits (ICs or "chips"), semiconductor dies and/or other discrete components are int ...

, a modern technique that combines several complex computer chips into a single larger unit

Science and mathematics

Module (mathematics) In mathematics, a module is a generalization of the notion of vector space in which the field of scalars is replaced by a ring. The concept of ''module'' generalizes also the notion of abelian group, since the abelian groups are exactly the ...

over a ring, a generalization of vector spaces *

Modular lattice In the branch of mathematics called order theory, a modular lattice is a lattice that satisfies the following self-dual condition, ;Modular law: implies where are arbitrary elements in the lattice, ≤ is the partial order, and &nb ...

a kind of partially ordered set *

Modularity theorem The modularity theorem (formerly called the Taniyama–Shimura conjecture, Taniyama-Weil conjecture or modularity conjecture for elliptic curves) states that elliptic curves over the field of rational numbers are related to modular forms. ...

(formerly Taniyama–Shimura conjecture), a connection between elliptic curves and modular forms * Module, in connection with

modular decomposition In graph theory, the modular decomposition is a decomposition of a graph into subsets of vertices called modules. A ''module'' is a generalization of a connected component of a graph. Unlike connected components, however, one module can be a p ...

of a graph, a kind of generalisation of graph components *

Modularity (networks) Modularity is a measure of the structure of networks or graphs which measures the strength of division of a network into modules (also called groups, clusters or communities). Networks with high modularity have dense connections between the no ...

, a benefit function that measures the quality of a division of a

Complex network In the context of network theory, a complex network is a graph (network) with non-trivial topological features—features that do not occur in simple networks such as lattices or random graphs but often occur in networks representing real ...

into communities * Protein module or

protein domain In molecular biology, a protein domain is a region of a protein's polypeptide chain that is self-stabilizing and that folds independently from the rest. Each domain forms a compact folded three-dimensional structure. Many proteins consist o ...

, a section of a protein with its own distinct conformation, often conserved in evolution * A ''cis''-regulatory module, a stretch of DNA containing a number of genes that share joint regulation by the same transcription factors

Music

* Module (musician), the solo project of New Zealand-based musician/producer Jeramiah Ross *

Module file Module file (MOD music, tracker music) is a family of music file formats originating from the MOD file format on Amiga systems used in the late 1980s. Those who produce these files (using the software called music trackers) and listen to them ...

, a family of music file formats *

Modular Recordings Modular Recordings (known simply as Modular) is an Australian record label founded in 1998 by Steve Pavlovic that is currently owned by Universal Music Australia. It has released music from local artists such as Eskimo Joe, Ben Lee, The Avalan ...

, a record label *

Modular synthesizer Modular synthesizers are synthesizers composed of separate modules for different functions. The modules can be connected together by the user to create a patch. The outputs from the modules may include audio signals, analog control voltages ...

, a type of electronic musical instrument *

Sound module A sound module is an electronic musical instrument without a human-playable interface such as a piano-style musical keyboard. Sound modules have to be operated using an externally connected device, which is often a MIDI controller, of which th ...

, electronic musical instrument without a human-playable interface

Other uses

Modular building A modular building is a prefabricated building that consists of repeated sections called modules. Modularity involves constructing sections away from the building site, then delivering them to the intended site. Installation of the prefabricated ...

: prefabricated building that consists of repeated sections called modules, used as house or other, some of them open source, in this case, open source hardware. * NTC Module, a Russian research and development center * ModulArt, a technique used in contemporary art where a large-structure painting is made up of multiple smaller modules. *

Ford Modular engine The Ford Modular engine is Ford Motor Company's overhead camshaft (OHC) V8 engine, V8 and V10 engine, V10 gasoline-powered small block engine family. Despite popular belief that the Modular engine family received its moniker from the sharing of e ...

, Ford's line of OHC V8 and V10 motors * Volvo Modular engine * Game module or expansion, an add-on publication for a role-playing game **

Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons) In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game, an adventure or module is a guide for managing player knowledge and activities within a specific scenario. Commercially, a published adventure comes as a pre-packaged book or box set that is used ...

, formerly referred to as a ''module'' * Vitruvian module, an architectural measure * A class,

course Course may refer to: Directions or navigation * Course (navigation), the path of travel * Course (orienteering), a series of control points visited by orienteers during a competition, marked with red/white flags in the terrain, and corresponding ...