=Electronics Hardware Questions=

Q:What is the difference between a flip-flop and a latch? 

	 _______                   	   _______
   D	|	|   Q		     D    |	  |   Q
   -----|	|----		     -----|	  |----
  clock |	|		   enable |	  |
   ----->	|   _		     -----|	  |   _
   	|	|   Q		   	  |	  |   Q
   	|	|----		   	  |	  |----
	|_______|		   	  |_______|
	

The example shows D-latch and D-FF.
The simplest form  of data storage is latch.It's output responds immidiately
to changes at the input and the input state will be remembered, or "latched" onto. 
While "enable" input is active the input of the latch is transparant to the output,
once "enable" is disactivated the output remains locked.
Flip-flops use clock as a control input. The transition on output Q occurs only at the edge
of the clock pulse. Input data must present T_setup time before
clock edge and remain T_hold time after.

* RESET input, while it is not shown, is present in most FF.


module DFF (Q,_Q,D,clk,rst);
output Q,_Q;
input D,clk,rst;
reg Q,_Q;

always @(posedge clk or posedge rst)
 begin
  if (rst) Q  <= 0;
  else     Q  <= D;  
  _Q <= !Q;
 end

endmodule 

module DLatch (Q,_Q,D,en,rst);
output Q,_Q;
input D,en,rst;
reg Q,_Q;

always @(en or D or posedge rst)
 begin
  if (rst)     Q  <= 0;
  else if (en) Q  <= D;  
  _Q <= !Q;
 end

endmodule