Are pushbuttons considered digital or analog?

Pushbuttons are considered digital devices because they operate in a binary fashion, meaning they have two states: pressed (on) and not pressed (off). This characteristic aligns with the definition of digital signals, which can only take on discrete values, such as 0 or 1. In the case of pushbuttons, when the button is pressed, it completes a circuit, allowing electricity to flow, and thus sends a signal indicating the 'on' state. Conversely, when the button is not pressed, the circuit is open, representing the 'off' state. This binary operation is what makes pushbuttons a staple in digital control systems, allowing for straightforward control signals to be used in various applications, such as machinery operation, process control, and user input interfaces.