IsiCikizi inguxa yezezibhangqiwe yamazuba engahleleliswa ukuba yenze uchunge lwezibalonqangi nemigidingo ehluzekile ngenhleleleko. Izicikizi zanamuhla zingenza imigidingo engamaqoqo avamile eyaziwa ngokuthi izinhleleliso. Lezinhleleliso zinikeza isiCikizi igunya lokwenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene. Isimiso sesiCikizi siyisicikizi esiphelele esihlanganisa nezinye izinsiza ezidingekayo, njengehlelomgidingo ukuze sikwazi ukugidinga ngokugcwele. Legama libuye libhekisele eqoqweni leziCikizi ezixhunywe ukuba zisebenze ndawonye, njengoXhoxho lweziCikizi noma isishomo seziCikizi.
Imikhiqizo ehlukile yezezimboni neyabakhozi isebenzisa izicikizi njengezimiso zokulawula. Izilekeleli zenjongo ecacile njengechadaza (microwave oven) nezilawuli kude(remote controls) ziyabalwa, kanjalo nezilekeleli zomkhando ezifana nezithununu zezimboni kanye nomklamo osizwa isicikizi, kuhlanganise nezilekeleli zenjongo ebanzi ezifana nesicikizi somuntu siqu nezilekeleli eziphathwayo (mobile devices) njengoMakhalipha (smartphone). Izicikizi zifukutha uxhakaxholo ngokukhongca izigidigidi zezinye izicikizi nabazisebenzisayo.
Izicikizi zokuqala zazihloselwe ukusetshenziselwa uqaqululo (calculations) kuphela. Izinsiza ezifana ne-abacus sezisize abantu ekwenzeni uqaqululo kusuka endulo. Ekuqaleni kwenguquko yezimboni, izilekeleli zezinguxa zakhiwa ukuze zihleleleke (automate) imisebenzi emide ekhathazayo, njengokuqondisa isifanelo sesilukisi (loom). Izinguxa zamazuba zazenza imisebenzi eyinkimbinkimbi yoqaqululo lwenzuko (analog calcuations) ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20. Izinguxa eziqaqululayo zamazuba zezezibhangqiwe zokuqala zakhiwa ngesikhathi sempi yomhlaba yesibili.
Igama elithi "isicikizi" lisuselwa esenzweni sokucikiza, esinencazelo yokuqala esho "ukubhala", eyesibili isho "ukuhlaziya, ukuxazulula inkinga," njengalapho umuntu ecikiza isibalonqangi sezibalo. Liyafaneleka lelibizo uma linesiqalo esithi 'isi' ngokwezigaba zamabizo. Umuntu ocikizayo yena uzoba "uMcikizi".
Kubikwa ukuthi izicikizi zokuqala kwakungabantu, ikakhulu abesifazane, kwakuba yibo izicikizi ngoba babeholelwa imali encane kunabesilisa. Cishe ngonyaka we-1943, iningi lezicikizi ezingabantu kwakungabesifazane.
Ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka edlule, kuye kwasetshenziswa iziLekeleli ekucikizeni, ikakhulu ukubala ngeminwe. Isilekeleli sokubala sokuqala kungenzeka kwakunguthi lokubala. Kamuva izinsiza zokugcina izibalo kulo lonke elaseMpuma ephakathi zazihlanganisa izingcezu zobumba, okwakubalwa ngazo ukudla okusanhlamvu, imfuyo, ezazigcinea emagobongweni aluhoshoba adikiselwe.
Isihlohlo i-Abacus sasungulelwa ukwenza imisebenzi yezobalonqangi. Isihlohlo saseRoma sathuthukiswa eziklamweni zaseBhabhiloni cishe ngowezi-2400 BCE.
Inguxa i-Antikithera kukholwa ukuba iyisicikizi senzuko esiguxazelayo esaziwayo, ngokuka Derek J. de Solla Price.[1] Lenguxa yayiklanyelwe ukuqaqulula ukuma kwezinkanyezi. Yavubukulwa ngowei-1901 ekuphahlazekeni kwase-Antikithera eduze naseGrisi.[2]
UCharles Babbage, wayengumngcikishi wezinguxanguxa neSazikwasani esaqhamuka nesicabango sesicikizi esihlelelisekwayo. Uthathwa "njengengqalabutho yesiCikizi",[3] uyena owacabanga futhi waqamba isicikizi esiyinguxa sokuqala.