TECHNICAL GLOSSARY
Modules, boards, isolation and protection: what separates a bench DevKit from equipment that survives in the field.
terms in this category
Electrical separation that prevents a direct conductive path between two circuits.
It reduces ground loops and limits fault propagation, but requires proper creepage, clearance and isolated power design.
A component that transfers a signal by light between electrically separated circuits.
It can isolate digital inputs when current, speed and component aging are respected.
An electromechanical or electronic device that switches one circuit using another signal.
A GPIO must not drive a coil directly; use a driver and diode, and check current and load category.
A contact that supplies no voltage of its own and only opens or closes an external circuit.
The applied voltage and current still need to respect the relay and installation.
An output that pulls toward ground and needs a pull-up to produce a high level.
It enables line sharing and limited level adaptation, as in I²C.
Pins sampled during reset to define chip boot options.
External circuits on them can prevent boot or force the ESP32 into flashing mode.
Related:BootloaderGPIOPinout
A map of the functions and positions of a chip, module or board's pins.
Always use the pinout for the exact revision; similarly named boards may differ.
The chip is the silicon; the module adds memory, crystal and antenna; the board adds power, USB and connectors.
This distinction prevents assigning maximum chip features to a board that does not expose them.
A development board created to prototype and evaluate a chip or module.
A DevKit is not automatically industrial equipment, even when it uses industrial components.
Related:Chip × module × boardEMC/EMI
Electromagnetic compatibility covers emissions and immunity to interference.
Layout, cables, grounding, filters, enclosure and testing determine real-world behavior.
An electrostatic discharge caused by accumulated charge transferring suddenly.
Accessible connectors need protection and a suitable discharge path.
Related:EMC/EMISurge protection
Circuits that limit high-energy or high-voltage transients.
TVS devices, fuses and filters must be sized for the interface and environment.
Related:ESDEMC/EMIGalvanic isolation
