ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Erasure code

Erasure code is like a superhero that saves your data from getting lost. Imagine you have an important picture you don't want to lose, so you make a copy and give it to your mom, dad, and friend. Now, if you accidentally lose one copy, you can ask others to give you back the missing part of the picture, and you would still have your original picture!

This is what an erasure code does, but instead of pictures and friends, it works with your computer's data and special codes. Your data is split into pieces, and a special code is created that tells your computer how to put it all back together again. These pieces are then stored across multiple places, such as hard drives or online servers, so even if one piece is lost, your computer can still use the code to find out what's missing and recover your data.

These codes are very smart, and they can even fix multiple mistakes at once! So, you can always be sure that your data is safe and sound. In summary, erasure code is like having multiple copies of your data but in a smart way, so you don't have to worry about losing anything.