The primary characteristic of distributed computing systems is the decentralization of processing power across multiple nodes or servers, enabling them to work collaboratively on tasks. This architecture enhances performance, reliability, and fault tolerance, as data and computations are distributed among various locations rather than centralized in one place. Distributed systems can handle large-scale problems more efficiently by leveraging parallel processing and resource sharing. Additionally, they improve resilience, as failure in one node does not compromise the entire system. This approach is increasingly vital for modern applications that require significant computational power and data management.