CPU, that is oftentimes called just "processor", is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. That is the core of every PC or hosting server, as it runs all the calculations and logical input/output functions. Though the performance of an Internet site or an application is determined by other things as well, such as the amount of physical memory or the connection of the web server, the rate at which a particular processor operates determines how quick an application will be executed. Later-generation processors have a number of cores which can drastically improve their overall power and efficiency, as each and every core can manage numerous processes independently or a number of cores can control 1 process which requires a significant processing power. Because each and every core functions at a certain speed, this architecture can be viewed as a few individual processors working together.