Glossary of Technical Terms

This glossary of terms contains definitions of commonly used technical terms in our Design Center.

Design Files

Term Description
Calculators Tool that provides a method to convert, calculate or identify.
Models Mathematical description (equation) that describes the physical behavior/characteristics of a device (transistors, diodes) under different conditions.
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Schematic Graphical representation of an electronic circuit design; a blueprint for the layout and wiring of the actual printed circuit board, showing connections between electronic components.
Symbols and Footprints Both are graphical representations. Symbols represent the electrical characteristics of a component while a footprint represents its physical characteristics.

Documentation

Term Description
Application Note Specification of how to use a component in an application or process.
Data Sheet Summary of the performance and other characteristics of a component.
Technical Note A brief description of a specific development, technique, or procedure.
Errata Known errors or limitations to the product not described in the original data sheet.
Package Information Package details of the component.
Packing Information Packing details of the component, for example, reel and carrier tape specifications.
Product Brief Essential information to evaluate a product for design suitability quickly.
Reference Manual Description of the structure and function of a chip product (SoC) or family of chip products.
Release Note Description of changes and issues in an upcoming update.
Safety Manual Assists the system developer in integrating the referenced NXP chip to achieve the required safety integrity level for the system.
User Guide Procedural manual with step-by-step instructions on how to perform a set of tasks.
User Manual Description of interfaces, modes of operation and possible configurations.

Hardware

Term Description
Adapters, Cables, Sockets Physical connectors that enable the integration, connectivity and testing (test sockets) between devices.
Embedded Board Solutions Combination of hardware and software; system-on-module (SOM), computer-on-module (COM) and single board computer (SBC) independent of the form factor.
Emulators, Probes, and Programmers Physical tools for in-circuit programming, debugging and testing devices.
Evaluation and Development Boards Printed circuit board with programmable components designed to produce a working circuit for evaluation or development of a product application.
Reference Designs Application-specific design (typically PCB, full form factor) with schematics, BOMs and design files optimized for the specific use case(s) intended.

Software

Term Description
Design Software AI/ML Modeling Tool Software tool for data curation, model training and model deployment.
CAD and CAE Software Computer-aided design software to create models, perform simulations and generate technical drawings; computer-aided engineering software analyze and optimize CAD designs.
Configuration Tools Graphical tool for configuring and auto-generating software.
HMI Design Software Software tool designed for applications requiring HMI.
Motor Control Design Software Software tool designed for applications requiring motor control.
Embedded Software Application Example Software Software example of how to build an application; application solution kit (ASK).
BSP and Device Drivers Software components that provide an interface between the OS and the hardware of a board.
Code Snippets Example code.
Connectivity Software Software designed for applications that require connectivity.
Examples and Quick Start Software Software stacks for various communication/connectivity protocols.
Library Pre-written, reusable code to create applications.
Middleware Software that provides capabilities to applications outside of what's offered by the operating system; lies between the OS and the application's running on it.
OS and RTOS Operating system, real-time operating system.
Safety and Security Software Software designed for safety and security applications.
Evaluation Software Demo Software Software designed to demonstrate specific product applications.
Evaluation Package Software designed to evaluate a product.
Software Development Tools Debugging and Visualization Tools Software tool for testing and validating software and hardware components.
Development IDEs and Build Tools Integrated development environment (IDE) for programming and debugging.
Simulation and Modeling Tool Software tool for simulating and modeling products/systems.
Software Development Resource Software bundle; software development kit (SDK).