Input and output devices

A peripheral is a hardware component connected to a computer, allowing it to provide data (input), receive processed data (output), or both (input-output).

Here are some examples:

Type of device	Examples
Input devices	Keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone.
Output devices	Screen, printer, speaker.
Input-output devices	Hard drive, USB key, graphics card.

Internal or external

Peripherals can be internal or external. Internal peripherals are integrated into the computer, like the hard drive or graphics card. External peripherals are connected to the computer via ports, like keyboards, mice, and printers. They can be connected by cables or wirelessly (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi).

Internal or external	Examples
Internal	Hard drive, graphics card, RAM.
External	Keyboard, mouse, printer, speaker, printer.

What is not a peripheral

It may seem strange that hard drives and graphics cards are considered peripherals. But in reality, they are not strictly essential to the computer's operation. For example, a server manages very well without a graphics card. Raspberry Pi do not have a hard drive and work very well with a simple SD card.

In general, the internal components that are essential to the computer's operation are as follows:

Component	Description
Processor	Central processing unit (CPU) that executes instructions.
RAM	Temporary memory (RAM) used to store data in use.
Motherboard	Main printed circuit board that connects all components.
Power supply	Provides electrical power to all components.
Cooling system	Dissipates the heat generated by the processor and other components.