Operator Interface Controllers
In order for the operator to control the robot movement and the actuators in teleoperated mode, we need to have a USB controller plugged into the driver station laptop. WPILib provides classes to interface with generic Human Interface Devices (HIDs) and also joysticks and more specific types like the Xbox and PS4 controllers. We can even build our own interface device as long as it works as a USB HID in Microsoft Windows.
One of the advantages of using the more specific software classes like XBoxController is that the class defines more easily recognizable names for joystick axes and buttons. With generic HID and Joystick classes we need to work with axes and buttons by number.
There are also classes with additional features for Command-Based programming, like CommandXboxController. These classes simplify the coding of typing controller events into Triggers for Commands.
References:
WPILib Joysticks:
https://docs.wpilib.org/en/stable/docs/software/basic-programming/joystick.html
Discussion