What is serial data transfer?

Serial data transfer is a method of transmitting data one bit at a time over a single communication channel or wire. This approach is commonly used for long-distance communication due to its simplicity and reduced interference compared to parallel data transfer, which sends multiple bits simultaneously. Serial communication can be synchronous or asynchronous, depending on whether a clock signal is used to synchronize the sender and receiver. Examples of serial data transfer protocols include USB, RS-232, and SPI.