High-level and low-level, as technical terms, are used to classify, describe and point to specific goals of a systematic operation; and are applied in a wide range of contexts, such as, for instance, in domains as widely varied as computer science and business administration.

High-level describe those operations that are more abstract in nature; wherein the overall goals and systemic features are typically more concerned with the wider, macro system as a whole.

Low-level describes more specific individual components of a systematic operation, focusing on the details of rudimentary micro functions rather than macro, complex processes. Low-level classification is typically more concerned with individual components within the system and how they operate.

Features which emerge only at a high level of description are known as epiphenomena.