What is pci bus?

The PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus is a standard interface used to connect peripheral devices to a computer's motherboard. It allows various components, such as graphics cards, network cards, and storage controllers, to communicate with the CPU and memory. Introduced in the early 1990s, PCI has evolved into several versions, including PCI Express (PCIe), which offers higher speeds and improved performance by using serial communication. PCI buses are critical for enabling hardware upgrades and expanding system capabilities.