general purpose input output (GPIO)

General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO or GP-I/O) is a general term for a pin on a chip to which the system integrator or user can assign a function.

GPIOs can be used as input or output pins through which control and command functions for external processes can be activated. In their initial state, the default, GPIOs are unused and do not perform any specific function.

GPIOs are found in system-on-chips( SoC) and in programmable logic devices such as field programmable gate arrays( FPGA) and other logic devices. Also in multifunctional chips such as those for power management, in audio codecs, sensors and in chips for embedded systems.