A smoke alarm is a complete, independent device with a detector that detects smoke and emits an alarm. In residential contexts, smoke alarms are often employed. A smoke alarm, put simply, detects smoke and emits an alert.
The smoke detector, on the other hand, is only a sensing device that detects smoke and sends a signal to the fire alarm system of a structure to activate an alarm. Smoke detectors are not standalone devices; they must be integrated into a building’s fire alarm system. Hotels, hospitals, and other commercial and industrial settings frequently include smoke detectors. Simply put, a smoke detector just detects smoke and has to be linked to a control panel for a fire alarm system. Smoke detectors solely function as a detection tool and not as an alarm.