In
coding theory, a
block code is any member of the large and important family of
error-correcting codes that encode data in blocks. There is a vast number of examples for block codes, many of which have a wide range of practical applications. Block codes are conceptually useful because they allow coding theorists,
mathematicians, and
computer scientists to study the limitations of
all block codes in a unified way. Such limitations often take the form of
bounds that relate different parameters of the block code to each other, such as its rate and its ability to detect and correct errors.