1. A subdivision of a data file, serving as the unit within which records are located. Buckets are specially used in connection with hashing techniques, and with indexing techniques (see index) where index entries point to groups of records. In these circumstances, hashing or indexing will yield the address of the start of the bucket; the location for storage or retrieval within the bucket will then be found by searching.

2. A capacitor whose electric charge is used as a form of dynamic RAM. A fully charged bucket, or full bucket, is equivalent to a logic 1; an uncharged or empty bucket is equivalent to a logic 0. The charge may be passed through an array of capacitors and associated electronics, which together form a bucket brigade.