A proactive device that regulates the temperature by making adjustments to heating or cooling inputs.

Many people confuse thermometers with thermostats, but they serve very different roles:

The classic "dial" thermostats use physical components (like a bimetallic strip) that expand or contract with heat to physically close an electrical circuit. They are reliable but lack the precision of digital models. 2. Programmable

The current gold standard, smart thermostats (like those from Nest or Ecobee), offer several advanced features: Be a Thermostat, Not a Thermometer | by Jason Kennedy