Computer networking refers to interconnected computing devices that can exchange data and share resources with each other such as laptops, desktops, servers, smartphones, and tablets. 

Computer networks have a variety of uses that many would see as essential today, including the following:

• file sharing, which enables users to share data files through a network;
• application sharing, which enables users to share applications through a network;
• hardware sharing, which enables users in a network to share hardware devices, such as printers and hard drives;
• client-server model, which enables data to be stored on servers, where end-user devices — or clients — can access that data;
• voice over IP (VoIP), which enables users to send voice data through internet protocols;
• communication, which can include video, text and voice;
• e-commerce, which enables users to sell and buy products over the internet; and
• gaming, which enables multiple users to play together from various locations.