Which type of port is traditionally used for connecting mice and keyboards?

The PS/2 port is traditionally used for connecting mice and keyboards. Developed by IBM in the 1980s, this port was commonplace on many computers for many years. PS/2 ports are characterized by their round shape and are color-coded: typically, purple for keyboards and green for mice. This design helped users easily identify which device connected to which port.

While USB ports are now more prevalent for connecting modern peripherals and offer advantages like hot-swapping capabilities, many legacy systems and certain environments still utilize PS/2 connections. The durability of the PS/2 connection, as well as its direct interface with the motherboard, contributed to its long-standing use in computing for input devices such as keyboards and mice.

In contrast, serial and parallel ports are older technologies that were historically used for various peripherals but are less common for input devices like keyboards and mice in modern contexts. Serial ports, while they were used for older mice, do not have the same widespread usage today. Similarly, parallel ports were primarily used for printers and are not suited for the direct connection of keyboards or mice.