A packet-switched network is a type of digital network that breaks data into small packets for transmission over the network. Each packet contains a portion of the original data, along with control information such as source and destination addresses.

In a packet-switched network, data is divided into packets before being transmitted. These packets are then independently routed across the network from the source to the destination. Each packet can take a different path to reach the destination, and they may arrive out of order. The packets are reassembled at the destination to reconstruct the original data.