What is the difference between latch and flip flop.

What i am thinking is latch is

equivalent to flip flop since it is used to store the bits and is also equivalent to
register which is also used to store the data but by reading some articles over
the internet i found differences between latch and flip flop based on edge
triggered and level sensitive functionality ? What does it mean ? Is flip flop and
latch are the same or not ?
Please clarify my doubt.
flipflop

shareimprove this question

asked Nov 6 '11 at 12:16

ankurtr
281238

add a
comme
nt

8 Answers
activeoldestvotes

up
vote9do
wn vote

The basic difference is a gating or clocking mechanism. For example,

let us talk about SR latch and SR flip-flops.
An SR Latch will look like this

In this circuit when you Set S as active the output Q would be high and
Q' will be low. This is irrespective of anything else. (This is an active
low circuit so active here means low, but for an active high circuit
active would mean high)
An SR Flip-Flop (also called gated or clocked SR latch) looks like this.

In this circuit the output is changed (i.e. the stored data is changed)

only when you give a active clock signal. Otherwise, even if the S or R
is active the data will not change. This mechanism is used to
synchronize circuits and registers so that the data does not change
unnecessarily.
shareimprove this answer

answered Nov 6 '11 at 12:53

community wiki
Rick_2047

so can i conclude that latches are level triggered and flip flops are edge triggered?
7 '11 at 6:59
1 Latches are not triggered at all. As soon as I give input, I get the output in latches. Flipflops
are triggered as in I have to give a clock trigger to convert my input into output.
7 '11 at 7:16
add a comment
up
vote4do
wn vote

A latch passes the input data thru directly in the open state, and
freezes the output in the latched state. The latch responds to
the level of the control signal.
There are various types of flip-flops, but basically these change state
on the edge of the control signal, and in some cases the data input(s).
A classic D flip-flip is most like a latch, except it only looks at the input
on a particular edge of the clock and freezes the output all the
remaining time.
shareimprove this answer

answered Nov 6 '11 at 13:07

Olin Lathrop
174k17186440

so is there is any difference between latch and flip flop or not ? ankurtr Nov 7 '11 at 7:00
@ankur.trapasiya: Yes. Olin Lathrop Nov 7 '11 at 13:08
hmmm... cleared somewhat..!! what i understood is flip flop needs a clock and a latch doesn't
need it. ankurtr Nov 7 '11 at 14:21
@ankur.trapasiya: yes, latches don't have a clock input but they have a corresponding input:
most of the time called ENABLE. The clock input of a D-Flip-Flop is edge sensitive, the enable
input of a latch is level sensistive, i.e. the output changes when enable is active and the input
changes. Curd Jan 7 '14 at 15:22

Latches and flip flops are the basic elements and these are used to store information. One flip
flop and latch can store one bit of data. The main difference between the latches and flip flops is
that, a latch checks input continuously and changes the output whenever there is a change in
input. But, flip flop is a combination of latch and clock that continuously checks input and
changes the output time adjusted by the clock. In this article, we are going to look at the
operations of the numerous latches and flip-flops.

Latches and Flip Flops

Both Latches and flip flops are circuit elements wherein the output not only depends on the
current inputs, but also depends on the previous input and outputs. The main difference between
the latch and flip flop is that a flip flop has a clock signal, whereas a latch does not. Basically,
there are four types of latches and flip flops: SR, D, JK and T. The major differences between
these types of flip flops and latches are the number of i/ps they have and how they change the
states. There are different variations for each type of latches and flip-flops which can enhance
their operations.
Difference Between Latches and Flip Flops

Latches Vs Flip Flops

What is Flip Flop?

A flip flop can be designed by using two NOR gates or two NAND gates. A basic flip flop using
NAND gate is shown below. Each flip flop has two inputs set and reset and also two outputs Q
and Q. This type of flip flop is referred to as an SR flip flop or SR latch.
The flip-flop has two states which are shown in the below figure. When Q=1; and Q=0; it is in
the set state . When Q=0 & Q=1, it is in the clear state . The outputs of the flip flop Q & Q are
complements of each other and are referred to as the normal and complement outputs,
respectively. The flip flop binary state is taken to be the value of the normal output.

When 1 is applied to the inputs of the flip flop, both the outputs go to 0, so both the outputs are
complements of each other. In a normal operation, this condition must be avoided by making
sure that 1s are not applied to both the inputs simultaneously.
SR Flip Flop

This SR flip-flop consists of two AND gates and a basic NOR flip-flop. The outputs of the two
AND gates remain at 0 as long as the clock pulse is 0, irrespective of the input values of S & R.
When the clock pulse is 1, information from the inputs S & R passes through to the basic flipflop. When S=R=1, the occurrence of a clock pulse causes both the outputs go to 0. When the
clock pulse is removed, the state of the flip-flop is unstated.

SR Flip Flop
D Flip Flop

The D flip-flop is the modification of the SR flip flop which is shown in the figure. The i/p D
goes directly into the input S and the complement of the input D goes to the input R. The D input
is sampled during the existence of a clock pulse. If it is 1, then the flip-flop is switched to the set
state. If it is 0, then the flip-flop switches to the clear state.

D Flip Flop

JK Flip Flop

A JK flip flop is a modification of the SR flip flop. The inputs of the flip flop J, K behave like the
inputs S and R. When input 1 is applied to both J & K, the flip flop switches to its complement
state( if Q=1, it switches to Q=0). The JK flip flop figure is shown below.The output of the flip
flop Q is ANDed with inputs k and clock pulse. The flip flop would be cleared during a clock
pulse only if the output Q was previously 1. Likewise, the output Q is ANDed with inputs CP
and J. So that the flip flop is set with a clock pulse only if Q was previously 1.

JK Flip Flop
T Flip Flop

The T flip flop is a single input version of the JK flip flop. The operation of this T flip flop is as
follows: When the input of the T is 0 such that the T will make the next state the same as the
present state (i.e. T = 0 then, present state = next state = 0). However, if the input of the T is 1
then the T will change the next state to the inverse of the present state (i.e. T = 1 present state =
0 and next state = 1).

T Flip Flop
What is Latch?

Latches are asynchronous which means, the output of the latch depends on its input; on the
other hand, today, most computers are synchronous which means, the outputs of all the
sequential circuits change simultaneously to the rhythm of a global clock signal. There are four
types of latches: D, T, SR and JK latch.
SR Latch

A set/ reset latch is an asynchronous device, which relies on the state of the S&R inputs. This
latch can be made from NOR gates. The latch has memory and the output depends on the state of
the latch. Therefore, the output at nth instant denoted by Qn is dependent on the output at (n-1)th
instant, denoted by (Qn-1).
Note that when the SR=11 state, then both the outputs are 0, which seems absurd. Thus, the state
SR=11 is said to be not allowed. The latch (SR) is a similar latch to SR which can be made
from the NAND gates.

SR Latch
D Latch

The D latch is the simple extension of the gated SR latch which removes the possibility of
invalid input states. When the enable line of the D latch is high, the output will always reflect the
logic level which is present at the D input. When the input of the D latch falls, the last state of the
D latch input is trapped and held in the latch. That is why it is also called as a transparent latch.
When enable is asserted, the latch is said to be transparent.

D Latch
JK Latch

JK latch is similar to RS latch. This latch consists of 2 inputs J and K as shown in the below
figure. The ambiguous state has been eliminated here: when the inputs of Jk latch are high, then
output toggles. The output feedback to inputs is the only difference we see here, which is not
there in the RS latch.

JK Latch
T Latch

T latch is formed when the inputs of the JK latch are shorted. When the input is high, then the
output toggles.

T Latch
These are all different types of latches and flip flops. We hope that we have successfully given
you then relevant content with appropriate diagrams. Furthermore, for any sort of help, you can
contact us by commenting below.
Photo Credits:

SR Flip Flop blogspot

D Flip Flop worldclassprogramme

JK Flip Flop circuitstoday

T Flip Flop tpub

SR Latch kfupm

T Latch exploreroots

D Latch kfupm

JK Latch wikimedia

About Tarun Agarwal

Tarun Agarwal is the Chief Customer Support Officer at Edgefx Technolo

Difference between Latch and Flip-Flop

This post is about understanding the basic difference between Latch and Flip-Flop. Electronics
students and some ready for their interviews would agree me on this about this question being
most common and confusing in vivas and interview. I have here tried to differentiate it.
Also read more on Electronics :

Digital Electronics Q&A for interview

Quick review of Microcontroller 8051
Learn Data communication basics
Micro -processor & -controller interview Q&A
What is serial peripheral interface

Latches and flip-flops are the basic elements for storing information. One latch or flip-flop can
store one bit of information. The main difference between latches and flip-flops is that for
latches, their outputs are constantly affected by their inputs as long as the enable signal is
asserted. In other words, when they are enabled, their content changes immediately when their
inputs change. Flip-flops, on the other hand, have their content change only either at the rising or
falling edge of the enable signal. This enable signal is usually the controlling clock signal. After
the rising or falling edge of the clock, the flip-flop content remains constant even if the input
changes.

LATCH

The fundamental latch is the simple SR flip-flop , where S and R stand

for set and resetrespectively. It can be constructed from a pair of cross-coupled NOR logic gates.
Latches are level sensitive.
Latch is sensitive to duration of pulse and can send or receive the data when the switch is on.
Latch is a device which continuously checks all its input and correspondingly
changes its output, independent of the time determined by clocking signal.
It is based on enable function input

It is a level trigerred , it mean that the output of present state and input of the next state depends
on the level that is binary input 1 or 0.
FLIP-FLOP

Flip-Flop are edge sensitive.

Flipflop is sensitive to signal change and not on level. They can transfer data only at the single
instant and data cannot be changed until next signal change. Flipflops are used as a register.
A flip-flop continuously checks its inputs and correspondingly changes its output
only at times determined by clocking signal.

It works on the basis of clock pulses.

It is a edge trigerred , it mean that the output and the next state input changes
when there is a change in clock pulse whether it may a +ve or -ve clock pulse.

So commonly Flip- Flop and latches are..

Flip flops are edge-triggered devices whereas latches are level triggered devices.
latch does not have clock signal whereas flip flop does.
Flip flop has two values while latch has only one value.

Flip-flop

Latch

A flip-flop samples the inputs only at a clock

event (rising edge, etc.)

A Latch samples the inputs

continuouslywhenever it is enabled, that is,
only when the enable signal is on. (or
otherwise, it would be a wire, not a latch).

Flip-Flop are edge sensitive.

Latches are level sensitive.

Flipflop is sensitive to signal change and not on

Latch is sensitive to duration of pulse and can

level. They can transfer data only at the single

instant and data cannot be changed until next
signal change.

send or receive the data when the switch is on

A flip-flop continuously checks its inputs and

correspondingly changes its output only at
times determined by clocking signal.

Latch is a device which continuously checks all

its input and correspondingly changes its
output, independent of the time determined by
clocking signal.

It works on the basis of clock pulses.

It is based on enable function input

It is a edge trigerred , it mean that the output

and the next state input changes when there is
a change in clock pulse whether it may a +ve
or -ve clock pulse.

It is a level trigerred , it mean that the output o

present state and input of the next state
depends on the level that is binary input 1 or 0

Related