Interface

/ˈjuːɑːrt/

noun — "asynchronous serial link for device communication."

/ˌɛs piː ˈaɪ/

noun — "serial protocol for high-speed device communication."

SPI, short for Serial Peripheral Interface, is a synchronous serial communication protocol used to transfer data between a master device, such as a microcontroller or CPU, and one or more peripheral devices, like sensors, memory chips, or displays. It enables high-speed, full-duplex data exchange over a minimal set of wires, making it a common choice in embedded systems and microcontroller-based designs.

Technically, an SPI bus consists of at least four signals:

/ˌdʒiːˌpiːˌoʊ/

noun — "programmable pins for general hardware control."

/ˌeɪtʃ biː ɛm/

n. "3D-stacked DRAM interface delivering terabyte-per-second bandwidth via TSVs and 1024-bit channels unlike narrow DQS DDR."

/ˌjuː-ˈaɪ/

n. “The bridge between humans and machines.”

UI, short for User Interface, is the space where interactions between humans and computers occur. It encompasses all the visual, auditory, and tactile elements that allow a user to operate software, hardware, or digital devices effectively and efficiently. The quality of a UI directly influences usability, accessibility, and the overall user experience.

Key aspects of UI include:

/ˌdʒiː-ˈjuː-ˈaɪ/

n. “Click, drag, and maybe accidentally close everything.”

GUI, short for Graphical User Interface, is the visual layer that sits atop software and operating systems, turning abstract commands into buttons, windows, menus, and icons. Where the command line requires memorization and precision, the GUI invites exploration, experimentation, and occasionally, confusion when multiple windows stack unexpectedly.

/ˌeɪ-pi-ˈaɪ/

n. “Talk to the machine without learning its secrets.”

API, short for Application Programming Interface, is the set of rules, protocols, and tools that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. Think of it as a contract: you send requests in a specified format, and the system responds in a predictable way. APIs are everywhere — powering web services, mobile apps, cloud platforms, and even operating system features.