Universal Serial Bus (USB)

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a communication standard developed as a way to connect peripheral devices to both desktop and laptop computers. The USB standard was first introduced in the mid-1990s and has become widely used for its versatility and convenience. It is one of the primary ways of connecting peripheral devices such as mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, and mass storage devices, to a computer in order to allow data transmission between the two.

The USB standard allows for the use of different types of connectors depending on the use case and size of the device. The most common type of connector used is the USB Type-A connector, which is found on most desktop and laptop computers. This connector consists of a four-pin, rectangular shape and is used to connect larger peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, and printers. Smaller devices, such as thumb drives, will use a USB Type-B connector, which has a smaller four-pin, square shape and is more common on mobile devices and other small peripherals.

USB provides the flexibility of a number of different data transfer rates depending on the device it is connected to. The fastest transfer rate currently offered is 10 Gbit/s, while the slowest transfer rate offered is 1.5 Mbit/s. This allows for a wide range of data transfer speeds depending on the device and its purpose.

USB is also capable of providing power to connected devices, eliminating the need to use an additional power source. This allows for the convenience of easy connection and power for smaller devices. Also, some USB connectors are now able to provide up to 100 watts of power, which is enough to power some larger devices such as monitors.

Over the last few decades, the USB standard has become the primary way to connect peripheral devices to a computer, and is now found on nearly every type of computer. USB is widely used for its ease of connection, versatility, and speed, making it the go-to standard for connecting peripheral devices to computers.