About the Thunderbolt ports on Mac
You can use the Thunderbolt port on your Mac to connect a display, 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, DVI, HDMI, or VGA.
About Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), Thunderbolt / USB 4, and Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C)
The Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port is available on some newer Intel-based Mac computers. Mac computers with Apple silicon have either the Thunderbolt / USB 4 port or the Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) port , depending on the model. The ports allow data transfer, video output, and charging through the same cable. For information about which adapters work with these ports, see the Apple Support article Adapters for the Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C port on your Mac.
About cables
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), Thunderbolt / USB 4, and Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C): 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 either 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 cords
The Thunderbolt port on a Mac can provide power to multiple connected Thunderbolt devices, so separate power cords 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 laptop
Using a Thunderbolt device without its own power cord can cause the battery on your Mac laptop 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 laptop 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 Identify your Mac power adapter.
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 Connect one or more external displays with your Mac.