In the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking, the physical layer or layer 1 is the first and lowest layer. The implementation of this layer is often termed PHY.

The physical layer consists of the basic networking hardware transmission technologies of a network. It is a fundamental layer underlying the logical data structures of the higher level functions in a network. Due to the plethora of available hardware technologies with widely varying characteristics, this is perhaps the most complex layer in the OSI architecture.