About the Thunderbolt ports on Mac
You can use the Thunderbolt port 
on your Mac to connect a display, a TV or a device, such as an external storage device. And with the appropriate adapter, you can connect your Mac to a display that uses DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI or VGA.
About Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) and Thunderbolt / USB 4
The Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port is available on some newer Intel-based Mac computers. The Thunderbolt / USB 4 port is available on Mac computers with Apple silicon. The ports allow data transfer, video output and charging through the same cable. For information about which adapters work with the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) and Thunderbolt / USB 4 port , see the Apple Support article Adapters for the Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port on your Mac or iPad Pro.
About cables
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) and Thunderbolt / USB 4: Use only USB cables with USB devices. If you use the wrong cable, the device won’t work even though the cable’s connectors fit your device and your Mac.
You can use Thunderbolt or USB cables with Thunderbolt devices.
Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2: Use only Thunderbolt cables with Thunderbolt devices, and only Mini DisplayPort extension cables with Mini DisplayPort devices. If you use the wrong cable, the device won’t work even though the cable’s connectors fit your device and your Mac.
About power cables
The Thunderbolt port on a Mac can provide power to multiple connected Thunderbolt devices, so separate power leads from each device are usually not required. Check the documentation that came with your device to see if the device needs more power than the Thunderbolt port provides.
If you have a Mac notebook
Using a Thunderbolt device without its own power lead can cause the battery on your Mac notebook to become depleted faster. If you plan to use such a device for an extended period, it’s a good idea to connect your Mac notebook or your Thunderbolt device to a power source.
When connecting a Thunderbolt device to a power source, be sure to disconnect the device from your Mac first, connect the device to a power source, then reconnect the device to your Mac. Otherwise, the device continues to draw power from your Mac. See the Apple Support article Find the right power adapter and cable for your Mac notebook.
About connecting multiple Thunderbolt devices
Depending on your Mac, you may be able to connect multiple Thunderbolt devices to each other, then connect the chain of devices to the Thunderbolt port on your Mac. See Use multiple displays with your Mac.
If you use Boot Camp
If you use Boot Camp to run Windows on your Intel-based Mac, see the Apple Support article Adapters for the Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port on your Mac or iPad Pro.