Traditional POS Terminals
Traditional POS (Point of Sale) terminals are hardware devices used in retail and hospitality to process transactions, typically involving payment card swiping, dipping, or tapping. They handle payment authorization, receipt printing, and often integrate with inventory and sales software. These terminals are distinct from modern mobile or cloud-based POS systems due to their dedicated hardware and on-premise connectivity.
Developers should learn about traditional POS terminals when building or maintaining systems for brick-and-mortar stores, restaurants, or other physical businesses that rely on legacy payment processing. This is crucial for integrating with payment gateways, ensuring PCI DSS compliance, and supporting hardware like card readers and receipt printers in environments where reliability and offline operation are prioritized over flexibility.