In terms of functionality, for the microprocessor to be used, other components such as memory or components that provide I/O capability, that is, components for receiving and sending data must be added to it. On the other hand, the microcontroller is designed in such a way to incorporate all the necessary components in one chip. No other components are needed for its application because all the required peripherals are already built into it. Generally a microcontroller consists of a microprocessor, memory (RAM & ROM), I/O ports and may have additional features like analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), timers, and so forth.
For microcontrollers having the complete controller on a one chip making the hardware design simple and inexpensive, this also saves time and space needed to construct devices.
Related articles:
- What is a Microcontroller?
- The Basic Structure of Intel 8051 Microcontroller
- Microprocessors in Mechatronics Systems
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