What's the difference between Latency & Jitter

Latency refers to the time delay between when data is sent from a source to a destination and when it is received by the destination. It is usually measured in milliseconds (ms), and it includes both the time it takes for data to travel over the network and the time it takes for the destination device to process the data. Latency can be affected by various factors, such as the physical distance between the source and destination, the quality of the network infrastructure, and the processing capabilities of the devices involved.

Jitter, on the other hand, refers to the variation in latency over time. It is the measure of the inconsistency in the delay of packet arrival, i.e., the difference between the minimum and maximum latency values of packets in a stream. Jitter is usually measured in milliseconds (ms), and it is a measure of the stability of network performance. Jitter can be caused by factors such as network congestion, bandwidth limitations, and queuing delays.

In conclusion, latency is the delay between when data is sent and when it is received, whereas jitter is the variation in latency over time. Latency is a measure of the network's speed, whereas jitter is a measure of the network's stability. The performance and user experience of networked applications can be negatively impacted by both latency and jitter.