Switching regulators are DC/DC and use a controlled switch that is either fully on or fully off. Unlike Linear Regulators, switching regulators can be buck (step-down), boost (step-up), or inverting. In general. switching regulators also have higher efficiency, but can be more expensive
Essentially, these work using a 2-stage process:
- Transistors rapidly switch the input voltage on and off
- A “flywheel circuit” (diode, inductor, capacitor) smooths the pulsed voltage.