In most cases, you will have at least some degree of variety when it comes to the screws that you can use, mainly due to the many types of drive recesses available. Certain screw drives owe their design to things such as stability during application and torque. You will need to use a different tool for each specific type of screw drive. These are some of the types of screw drives you’ll find:

Slotted: Characterized by a single line across its head, slotted screws are the oldest type of screw available. Its simple shape lets you tighten or loosen it with household items like a coin or a knife, but they may prove difficult to stabilize during installation, which makes them unreliable when you’re working with power tools, as they tend to slip.
Phillips: A more stable alternative thanks to the 4 contact points on its head, Phillips screws are also better suited for screwdrivers and power tools. Named after Henry F. Phillips, who improved on its cross-like drive recess, these screws were designed in such a way that a screwdriver will cam out once a certain amount of torque is needed to keep it turning, which prevents over-tightening.
Hex: Commonly used for objects such as pre-made furniture, hex screws usually need to be tightened with an L-shaped hex key, also known as an Allen wrench — however, other compatible tools are also available. They possess a deeper recess, which makes it harder for the screw to become stripped.
Square: Also known as Scrulox or Robertson, square screw drives have become a more popular option with time because their shape makes it so camming out or slipping will rarely happen.
Torx: Also known for their effectiveness in preventing camming out, Torx screws are mainly notorious for to their 6-pointed star shape on the head. This shape allows for Torx screws to provide a great amount of torque during installation, which has increased their popularity.

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