A
backplane (or "backplane system") is a group of
electrical connectors in parallel with each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors, forming a
computer bus. It is used as a backbone to connect several printed circuit boards together to make up a complete
computer system. Backplanes commonly use a
printed circuit board, but
wire-wrapped backplanes have also been used in
minicomputers and high-reliability applications.