Background Theory > Schematic Design > Schematic Wires and Nodes

In an electronic schematic, wires and nodes are used to represent the connections and junctions between different components. They play a fundamental role in illustrating how a circuit is wired together. Here's a little more detail on what they are:

Wires

Wires in a schematic represent the physical connections between components in an electronic circuit. They're usually drawn as straight lines that connect different components. They don't necessarily correspond to physical wires in the actual circuit; instead, they show how the various components are electrically connected, whether by wires, traces on a printed circuit board (PCB), or some other conductive path.

Nodes

A node, in the context of a circuit diagram or schematic, is a point in the circuit where two or more circuit elements are connected together. This could be a junction between three or more wires, a connection point in a circuit, or a pin on an integrated circuit or other component. In an electronic schematic, nodes are usually represented as a dot where the wires meet. A node is the point at which the potential voltage can be measured.

Note that if two wires cross each other on a schematic without a node being shown, this usually means that they are not electrically connected. However, it's always best to refer to the conventions used in the specific schematic or set of schematics you are working with, as different designers or companies might use slightly different conventions.