Cables are known as one or more wires or optical fibers bound together in a common protective jacket or sheath. Inside the jacket or the sheath, the individual wires or fibers may be covered or insulated. A combination cable may contain both electrical wires and optical fibers.

Electrical wires are usually made of copper or aluminum. Electrical cables can be constructed for flexibility by stranding the wires. This involves the twisting or braiding together of smaller individual wires for the production of flexible similar sized solid wires. The bunching of small wires before concentric stranding can increase the flexibility. Provision for lubrication can be made with thin coats of specific materials including tin, silver, gold, etc. Cables can also be made extensible during stranding.

Cables may include wire ropes or wire cables, computer cables, communications cables, mechanical cables, audio visual cables, submersible cables, coaxial cables, multi-core cables, optical fibers, ribbon cables, single cables, mineral insulated copper clad cables, twinax cables, twisted pair cables, shielded cables, flexible cables, arresting cables, bowden cables, heliax cables, direct buried cables, heavy lift cables, and elevator cables, etc.