Pin Header vs Female Header: Male, Female and How to Choose
July 28, 2026Views: 198
排针排母区别
One line: pins versus holes
A pin header (male) exposes metal pins. A female header hides phosphor-bronze springs in cavities and clamps those pins. Two males or two females will not make a circuit.
Structure
| Item | Pin header (male) | Female header |
|---|---|---|
| Contact | Rigid square or round pin | Spring beam with normal force |
| What you see | A row of pins | A row of sockets |
| Height driver | Pin length and insulator | Insulator height and contact position |
| Typical failure | Bent pins, oxidation, heel cracks | Relaxed springs, opened cavities, dry contact |
| English names | pin header, male header | female header, header socket |
Three matching rules
- Pitch, row count and pin count must match.
- Pin cross-section must fit the cavity (square vs round).
- Stack height: exposed pin = catalog length − board − fillet, then overlap the female contact.
Do not confuse a female header with a box header
A female header mates to a pin strip. A box header mates to an IDC ribbon plug. They are not interchangeable on the same net.
Junjia builds both sides as a set. Write male/female, pin length and insulator height on the RFQ — “header” alone is ambiguous in English.