Knowledge base
Switch Emulator Glossary
Clear definitions for the terms that cause the most confusion in emulator setup, with links to matching guides and troubleshooting pages.
How to Use This Glossary
Use these definitions as quick context before following a setup or troubleshooting guide. Terms such as prod.keys, firmware, NCA, and SHA-256 often appear together in emulator error messages, but they point to different parts of the workflow.
When an error mentions keys, headers, archives, or hashes, read the matching definition first, then move to a full troubleshooting page. This helps avoid replacing unrelated files and losing a known-good setup.
Prod Keys
Prod Keys is the common shorthand for the Switch console production key file, used by emulators to identify and decrypt content you legally dumped yourself.
Title Keys
Title Keys are key sets associated with specific games or content titles.
Firmware
Firmware refers to the Nintendo Switch system firmware file set.
NCA
NCA stands for Nintendo Content Archive and is one of the base file formats inside Switch content packages.
NSP / XCI / XCZ
NSP, XCI, and XCZ are common package formats for Switch content files.
SHA-256
SHA-256 is a file integrity hash algorithm used to confirm whether a download was altered or damaged.