What is the difference between a latch and a flip-flop?

A latch is a level-sensitive device that is transparent when the enable signal is active, passing input changes directly to output. A flip-flop is edge-triggered, capturing input values only at the clock edge (rising or falling). Latches are simpler but can cause timing issues in synchronous systems due to transparency. Flip-flops provide more predictable timing behavior and are preferred in synchronous digital design for proper sequential circuit operation.