Digital circuits play an essential role in the development of electronic devices. Moreover, these circuits are necessary for the proper working of electronic devices. Flip Flop and Latch are the types of digital circuits that assist in saving information and maintaining their output until their inputs remain constant. Despite many similarities, there are a lot of differences between Flip Flop and Latch circuits.
Main Difference
Flip-Flop is a synchronous circuit whose output changes with the change in the clock signal, while Latch is an asynchronous circuit whose work can be changed with the change in input. Let us discuss these differences in detail.
What is Flip-Flop?
A flip-Flop is one of the most critical digital circuits of electronic devices, which assists in saving binary data. The flip-Flop is synchronous, which is edge triggered circuit. These circuits have numerous applications in electronic devices like computers, communication devices, and other electronic equipment.
A Flip-Flop circuit has two ends, of which one end has one output, while the other end’s result is zero. These circuits can be run either with a positive or negative clock transition. This circuit consists of four NAND gates and four NOR gates.
Uses of Flip-Flop circuit:
- Data storage
- Frequency divisors
- Data transfer
- Latch formation
- Bounce elimination switches
What is a Latch?
A latch is also another form of the logical circuit. The latch circuit is asynchronous. e it is a level-triggered circuit. A latch circuit remains static until its input signals remain constant. It has one high and one low, stable state.
In addition, it is used to store one-bit data ( in binary language). A latch is also called a bistable multivibrator. Latch functionally serve as a memory device. Latches are built by utilizing the Filp-Flop circuit, and their output directly depends on input signals.
Uses of Latch:
- Single-bit storage device
- Aschoronuous system
- Replacement of flip-flop circuit
- Serve as bistable multivibrator
- A significant part of electronic devices
Major differences between Flip-Flop and Latch;
- Flip-Flop is a synchronous circuit, while Latch is an asynchronous circuit.
- A flip-Flop is edge-triggered, whereas Latch is level-triggered.
- Flip-Flop output changes with the clock impulse, while Latch input changes with the input signals.
- Flip-Flop consists of latches, while Latch is made of logic gates.
- Flip-Flop works on clock pulses, while Latch works on input functions.
- One end of Flip-Flop is high, and the other is zero, while one end of Latch is increased while the other is low.
Comparison table of Flip-Flop vs. Latch
| Feature | Flip-Flop | Latch |
| Triggering | Edged | Leveled |
| Output changes with | Clock pulses | Input functions |
| Made from | Latches | Logic gates |
| Binary input | (+ve) and (-ve) | 0 and 1 |
Conclusion
In a nutshell, we can say that Flip-Flop and Latch’s circuits are quite different. They work on different principles. They have numerous distinct features.
