Differences between a control and a component

A component in software development refers to a class that either directly implements the IComponent interface or inherits from a class that implements IComponent.

For instance, the class "BaseComponent" provided in the example implements the IComponent interface. It's important to note that a component itself does not have the capability to draw itself on a form; instead, it is a control that handles the drawing process. Both components and controls can be placed on a design surface during the development phase. When an item from the toolbox is double-clicked and placed on the form, it is referred to as a control. Conversely, when an item is placed in the component tray below the form area, it is recognized as a component.

For instance, the Timer component lacks a visual representation during runtime, but it can be observed in the component tray during design time. On the other hand, the Progress Bar is a control that possesses a visual representation in both design time and runtime.

It's worth noting that all controls are considered components, but not all components are controls. If you aim to provide functionality without a user interface, such as with the BackgroundWorker component, deriving directly from the Component class would suffice. Examples of components include Timer and Data Source. However, if you desire full control over the visual appearance of a component, creating a custom control is recommended. Examples of custom controls include TextBox and Button, which offer greater flexibility in defining their visual characteristics while still functioning as components.