Components Versus Controls

Do you know the difference between a control and a component? Ironically, most people believe these two terms are interchangeable. While this may have been true at one time, it is not true today. There is a distinct difference between the two terms. If you are planning to take a programming certification test, you may need to know the difference!

Consider a couple more questions:

Is a button a control or a component? This should be an easy question to answer. A button is a control. What about a list box? How about a group box? How about a timeror a radio button?

If you guessed that the listbox and group box were both controls, you were correct. A radio button is also a control. What do all of these have in common? They have an interface to the user. A timer on the other hand, does not have an interface to the user. As such, it is not a control. It is a component.

The difference between a control and a component is that a control has a user interface and a component does not. Knowingthis tidbit of information may just help you get a question correct on a certification exam!

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