A peripheral driver is capable of providing the interface of a peripheral device in a computer system to the processor. They have a number of applications including relay drivers,  LED drivers , logic buffers, fan drivers, motor drivers and line drivers. There are usually a number of driver channels in a single integrated circuit package. Devices are typically available to support 2, 4 or even 8 channels. Systems require drivers because the processor cannot meet the power, or interface standard needs of the peripheral circuit.

A driver will typically have logic inputs, compatible with CMOS or TTL logic levels. This enables it to be directly connected to a microcontrollers (MCUs) peripheral I/O ports. They will have a buffer isolating input from output, usually have output fault protection and relatively high output current capability. Many peripheral driver ICs will incorporate latch-up protection to protect against high voltage spikes on the output ,which can happen when the driver is driving highly reactive (inductive or capacitive) loads. For the same reason, they can have high breakdown voltages – so that negative spikes will not cause catastrophic damage. Drivers can also have open collector or open drain outputs. This allows outputs to be paralleled up to each other for meeting higher drive requirements. When inductive loads are driven, high voltage spikes can occur. In this case, many drivers incorporate integrated clamping diodes.

A special type of peripheral driver is a line driver. A line driver drives data from a processor onto a physical medium in accord with an electrical standard. Such a standard may be optimized to match the impedance characteristics and bandwidth requirements of the electrical standard. Such standards include low voltage differential signaling (LVDS), current mode logic (CML), or even specifications like serial digital interface (SDI) that support longer cable runs and incorporate sophisticated data link layer protocols to ensure successful transfer. Such drivers usually have special differential logic interfaces and have high gain bandwidths (the maximum speed the driver can output a waveform). This is also referred to as slew rate or the time it takes for a level change on the input to cause a change in level on the output.