GPIO Terminal Block Breakout Board Module for Raspberry Pi

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

AWG

American Wire Gauge is a numbering system for wire thickness, where a lower number means a thicker wire. The AWG rating matters because thicker wire can usually carry more current with less voltage drop and heating.

breakout

A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.

GPIO

General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.

Headers

Rows of connector contacts on a fixed pitch (commonly 2.54 mm) used to link a board to a breadboard, jumper wires, or another board. They come as male pin headers and female socket headers; when a module ships with pre-soldered headers it can be used straight away, whereas bare pads require soldering the pins yourself.

M2.5

A metric screw thread size with a 2.5 mm nominal diameter. It matters for mounting because screws, standoffs, and holes must use the same size to fit securely without damaging the board.

PCB

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board, usually rigid, with etched copper tracks that connect electronic components together without loose wiring. Components are mounted on the board and signals route between them through the copper layout.

Terminal block

A terminal block is a connector that joins wires together in a neat, removable, or serviceable way, usually clamping each wire under a screw or spring instead of soldering. It makes it easier to connect, change, or service wiring without permanent joints.