Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter

A universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter, abbreviated UART /ˈjuːɑːrt/, is one of many computer hardware devices that translates data between parallel and serial forms. UARTs are commonly used in conjunction with communication standards such as TIA (formerly EIA) RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485. The universal designation indicates that the data format and transmission speeds are configurable. The electric signaling levels and methods (such as differential signaling etc.) are handled by a driver circuit external to the UART.