User:NeverMindMePlease/Orphan (computing)

In computing, an orphan refers to a virtual dataset such as a database row or file that has no known parent object. These often occur when the parent object is deleted but the child object is left intact, leaving it redundant.

Examples

 * If an application was to be installed onto one's computer, then certain files might be created at the time of installation. If the application was then later to be deleted or uninstalled, but these files were left alone, they would be orphan files.
 * In a database environment, certain datasets can contain a reference to other datasets that act as children objects. If a query were to be executed that removed the parent datasets, then the children would be rendered orphans.