Tech, Explained

How the technology inside India's product companies works, in plain words. Each scene is one thing you know, such as paying at a café or booking a flight. Its pages explain every part of it, and link to the next.

126 scenes · 1,859 explainers

Networking, infrastructure and security

12 scenes · 210 explainers
Enterprise cybersecurityEverything an attacker can aim at in one company.66 explainersSecurity operations centre (SOC)Every alert lands here, around the clock.12 explainersVulnerability and exposure managementThe company as an attacker maps it.13 explainersGovernance, risk and compliance (GRC)Proof that the controls exist and work.9 explainersKnow your customer (KYC)Checked once at sign-up, watched at every login.10 explainersTelecom networksFrom your phone to the tower, core and internet.30 explainersEnterprise networkingA laptop joins the Wi-Fi and finds the printer.8 explainersData centresThousands of servers, with their power and cooling.17 explainersSatellite and remote connectivityA ship, a plane, a patrol, a basement meter.9 explainersBusiness messaging (CPaaS)The bank's OTP, the shipping update, the masked call.9 explainersBusiness phone systemsRings the right desk, records and writes up calls.7 explainersHome technologyThe socket on the wall, the Wi-Fi, your own devices.20 explainers

Cloud platforms and developer tools

8 scenes · 76 explainers
Cloud hostingA five-person team rents its whole backend.9 explainersInfrastructure softwareOperating system, hypervisor and Kubernetes under every app.11 explainersEmbedded softwareCode in the brakes must answer on time.7 explainersDevOpsOne bug fix, from ticket to production.11 explainersAPI and low-code developmentApps assembled from APIs and ready-made parts.6 explainersSoftware testingEvery new screen tried on hundreds of real phones.10 explainersAI codingAn AI reads the repo and opens the pull request.6 explainersObservability and monitoringSlow at 3 a.m.: the code, servers or network?16 explainers

Data platforms and AI

6 scenes · 99 explainers
Data engineeringOne order, recorded at once and added up later.28 explainersBusiness intelligence (BI)Last week's sales by city, and the question it misses.7 explainersData storage and backupOne copy kept where ransomware cannot reach.12 explainersData providersWhat a company cannot learn from its own sales.15 explainersGeospatial dataThe map that nearly all other data joins to.8 explainersGenerative AI applicationsTurning a language model into a Hindi support assistant.29 explainers

Enterprise SaaS and software

9 scenes · 193 explainers
Back-office softwareOne dealer's order touches sales, stock and finance.25 explainersFinance and accounting softwarePaying suppliers, billing customers, closing the books.26 explainersHR technologyFrom job ad to six-month survey, each on different software.33 explainersMarketing technology (martech)A left basket brings a push, an email, a WhatsApp.21 explainersBrand marketingBefore a new shoe sells: research, content, launch, listening.18 explainersB2B salesFind the buyer, reach them, forecast and close.25 explainersCustomer serviceA failed UPI payment, a missing parcel, a cracked screen.24 explainersIT managementA laptop, a dozen accounts, a server down at night.15 explainersCollaboration softwareForty people, one plan, and what was decided.6 explainers

Fintech

15 scenes · 172 explainers
In-store paymentsCard or QR at the café, approved in two seconds.8 explainersOnline paymentsA shop with no counter takes your card or UPI.12 explainersCross-border paymentsSalary home to Kerala, a US client paying Indore.6 explainersSpend managementCompany cards for staff, invoices for suppliers.11 explainersCrypto and tokenisation₹1,000 of Bitcoin becomes an entry on a blockchain.7 explainersDigital lendingA rider with no salary slip, approved in minutes.7 explainersCredit underwritingBefore ₹2 lakh moves, software reads the borrower.9 explainersMSME lendingPaying workers now, paid ninety days later.9 explainersAnti-money laundering (AML)₹9 lakh in and out within the hour.8 explainersStock trading and settlementMatched, cleared and settled by the next day.12 explainersPersonal financeShares, gold, credit score and tax on one phone.14 explainersAsset managementYour monthly ₹5,000, pooled, traded, valued and reported.16 explainersWealth managementShares, funds, a private stake and flats on one screen.9 explainersInsurtechInsuring the car, then a scooter hits it.25 explainersDigital bankingYour money, from the app down to the core.19 explainers

Healthtech and life sciences

14 scenes · 170 explainers
Healthcare ITSoftware runs every step from phone call to note.25 explainersChronic care managementTen minutes with the doctor every three months.17 explainersPharmacy technologyWard cabinet, local pharmacy or delivery to the door.5 explainersHealth data interoperabilityTen years of records, and nobody has the whole picture.7 explainersHospital operationsSurgeon checked, theatre booked, instruments sterilised, hip bought.9 explainersLaboratory diagnosticsOne tube, from the clinic to the analyser and back.9 explainersMedical imagingA chest X-ray read by AI in a minute.10 explainersMedical devicesThe hip inside her, the robot, the monitor, the pump.21 explainersComputational drug discoveryChosen from billions of candidates, on a computer first.7 explainersLab instruments and informaticsWhat is really in the tube?11 explainersClinical trials3,000 patients, 200 hospitals, every step recorded.12 explainersPharma manufacturingA million tubes, each batch proven as approved.7 explainersPharma commercial operationsReaching doctors and payers, then seeing what it really does.11 explainersMedical billing and claimsOne bill, from the clinic's code to the plan's payment.19 explainers

E-commerce, travel and logistics

10 scenes · 166 explainers
E-commerce marketplacesRunning shoes under ₹2,000, delivered by Thursday.19 explainersD2C e-commerceIt remembers your address and offers cash on delivery.14 explainersRetail technologyThe cashier scans, the rep photographs the shelf.9 explainersB2B e-commerceHuge catalogues and negotiated prices, slowly moving online.8 explainersOn-demand servicesA cleaner, a yoga class and the vet, booked in-app.14 explainersFood delivery and quick commerceBiryani from across town, milk from a dark store.17 explainersTravel technologyFlight, hotel and bus back, booked in ten minutes.22 explainersHotel technologyOne room sold everywhere, at a price that changes daily.7 explainersDemand planningHow many kurtas, in which sizes, and when to discount.9 explainersLogistics and supply chainFrom a Bhiwandi warehouse to your door, every hand-off tracked.47 explainers

Gaming, streaming and media

11 scenes · 121 explainers
Video gamesBuilt on an engine, paid for by a few players.10 explainersGambling and bettingSoftware sets the odds; a regulator checks it.15 explainersTicketing and venue bookingPick two seats, show a QR code at the door.7 explainersVideo streamingTens of millions watching the last over at once.17 explainersFilm production and VFXA flood that never happened, made by hundreds of artists.8 explainersBroadcast technologyA replay seconds after the wicket, ads between overs.7 explainersDigital publishingOne agency story in five apps, then a paywall.10 explainersAcademic publishingPeer review, typesetting and indexing, much of it in India.5 explainersAudio series and audiobooksA Hindi thriller, five minutes at a time.5 explainersSocial mediaMorning greetings, short videos and the matrimony search.9 explainersProgrammatic advertisingAdvertisers bid for the space before the page loads.28 explainers

Semiconductors and devices

5 scenes · 65 explainers
Smartphone hardwareOne main chip, a radio, a touch screen, memory.12 explainersAnalog and embedded chipsSense, convert, decide, drive: over a thousand per car.9 explainersAI and data centre chipsEvery chatbot answer worked out on boards of GPUs.14 explainersSemiconductorsDesigned in Bengaluru, printed layer by layer abroad.18 explainersWorkplace devicesLaptop, printer, scanner and the meeting room's speakers.12 explainers

Industrial tech and mobility

21 scenes · 224 explainers
Industrial automationThousands of bottles an hour, a few people watching.38 explainersDigital manufacturingDrawn and tested on screen, then cut, printed or moulded.18 explainersPredictive maintenance softwareWhich machine will fail, and when, before the line stops.12 explainersMaterials scienceGlass that survives a drop, a jacket that breathes.6 explainersHeavy equipmentExcavators, haul trucks and tractors, kept working for years.5 explainersAutomotive technologyScreens, self-braking and an app that unlocks it.20 explainersEV batteries and chargingCharged overnight, fast-charged on the highway, or swapped.12 explainersFleet managementWhere each vehicle is, how it's driven, what it burns.6 explainersAutomotive retailTest drive, loan, every service, then the auction.9 explainersUrban mobilityA cab, a bike taxi, a scooter by the minute.7 explainersFare collection and tollingA FASTag at the toll, a tap at the gate.6 explainersRailway technologyTrains, signals, power and track, more and more software.6 explainersAerospaceHundreds of suppliers, thousands of systems, more and more software.9 explainersAircraft maintenance (MRO)Checked, signed off, and the flight plan on a tablet.6 explainersDrone technologyA pipeline, a wedding, a border, planned on a screen.11 explainersEarth observationA cyclone, stressed fields and a ship gone dark.7 explainersPower generation and storageWind, sun and gas make it; batteries hold it.15 explainersPower gridFrom the plant to your meter, balanced every second.9 explainersRooftop solarUse, store or sell: the house as a power station.5 explainersSustainability managementMeasure the emissions, report them, waste less.7 explainersEnergy tradingForecasting prices and trading tomorrow's power.10 explainers

Proptech

4 scenes · 60 explainers
Construction technologyFrom 3D model to price, schedule and site.17 explainersFlexible workspace and co-livingDesks by the day, beds by the month.4 explainersSmart buildingsChillers, lifts, doors, cameras and the software above them.21 explainersProptechFrom the first search to moving in.18 explainers

Edtech

6 scenes · 57 explainers
Exam preparationJEE, NEET and mock tests ranked against lakhs.9 explainersK-12 edtechSmart class screen, homework app, coding over video.10 explainersCampus management systemsAttendance, fees and the hall ticket behind one portal.15 explainersLanguage learningSpoken English five minutes a day, grammar checked.5 explainersUpskillingA bootcamp paid after placement, a degree after work.10 explainersCampus placementsRésumé, placement test, hackathon, internship or study abroad.8 explainers

Legaltech

2 scenes · 18 explainers
Legal operationsA contract drafted, signed, stamped and stored.12 explainersLegal researchDatabases and AI for lawyers, plain help for everyone.6 explainers

Govtech and nonprofits

2 scenes · 13 explainers
GovTechProperty tax, a birth certificate, a call to 112.6 explainersNonprofit softwareCharities, associations and community centres, run on software.7 explainers

Agritech

1 scene · 5 explainers
AgritechSatellite loans, AI advice and a sprayer that sees weeds.5 explainers

All 126 scenes, A to Z

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