RS-232 (Recommended Standard 232) is a standard for serial interfaces used to transfer data between devices such as computers and peripheral equipment. RS-232 defines the electrical signals and protocols for data exchange between devices via a serial port. This standard was widely used for device connections before the emergence of more modern interfaces such as USB and Ethernet.
RS-232 specifies the signals for data transmission (for example, data bits, parity bits, stop bits) as well as the electrical characteristics for transmitting and receiving signals (for example, voltage levels, data transfer rates). Typically, RS-232 is used to connect devices such as modems, printers, barcode scanners, pointing devices, and other peripherals to computers or other equipment for data transfer.
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