An actuator is a device that produces a mechanical action. That’s the generic description, but when people mention “actuator” in conjunction with Arduino, they will typically mean a linear actuator.
However, as we’ll see, there is much more to the actuator “family” than just the linear types.
Probably the easiest actuator type to use with Arduino is the R/C servo motor. You can connect them directly to an output pin since they have their own internal electronics.
Anything else: solenoid, linear actuator, etc., usually will require an external driver and more wiring. Although there are some linear actuators that have the same connections as servos.
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