- API
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An API (application programming interface) is a defined set of commands or functions that lets one piece of software interact with another, such as a library, operating system, hardware driver or online service. When something offers API support, it means you can control or query it from your own code rather than only through its built-in menus or buttons.
- breakout
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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.
- DC
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DC means direct current, where electricity flows in one constant direction, as supplied by batteries, USB ports and many plug-pack power supplies. When a product specifies DC, it runs from a DC supply rather than mains AC, so you need to provide the correct voltage and polarity.
- GNSS
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GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, an umbrella term for satellite positioning networks such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. Receivers use these satellites to determine position, and high-precision units can output a steady stream of serial position data.
- GPIO
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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.
- IoT
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Short for Internet of Things, meaning physical devices that connect to networks or the internet to send data or be controlled remotely. It matters if you want projects such as connected sensors, remote controls or classroom data-logging activities.
- MQTT
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A lightweight messaging protocol often used for IoT devices to publish and receive data through a server called a broker. It matters for home automation and sensor networks because it is simple, efficient, and widely supported.
- PCB
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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.
- SMA
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SMA is a small threaded coaxial (RF) connector widely used to attach antennas and other radio-frequency cables. A device with SMA antenna ports needs antennas or pigtails with matching SMA connectors, or a suitable adapter, to connect to them.
- u.FL
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u.FL is a tiny snap-on antenna connector often used on compact wireless boards. A board with u.FL usually needs an external antenna, which matters if the product will be inside an enclosure or needs better antenna placement.
- UART
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UART is a simple asynchronous serial interface that sends data over separate transmit and receive wires, usually labelled TX and RX, with both ends set to the same baud rate. It is a common way for microcontrollers and other serial devices to exchange data.
- USB-C
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USB-C is a small, reversible USB connector that can carry power, data and, on some devices, video over a single cable. The same connector can range from charging only to high-speed data, so the functions a given port actually supports vary.
