A hot shoe is a small connector slot usually fitted to the top of a camera that allows you to attach various accessories to your camera. It is a square bracket usually placed in the top middle of the camera body. The hot shoe is a development of the standardized "accessory shoe" or "cold shoe," which had no flash contacts and was formerly fitted to cameras to hold accessories such as a rangefinder or flash connected by a cable. The hot shoe takes the form of an angled metal bracket surrounding a metal contact point that completes an electrical connection between the camera and accessory for standard, brand-independent flash synchronization. The matching adapter on the bottom of the flash unit slides in from the back of the camera and is sometimes secured by a clamping screw on the flash.

The hot shoe allows you to connect external accessories that greatly expand your cameras functionality. Compatible hot shoe accessories include flashes, some microphones, wireless triggers, viewfinders, and other gear. The accessories will have pins that will line up with the contacts on the hot shoe, allowing your camera to gather information from the accessory and control it. Hot shoe adapters can also add functionality to your camera, allowing you to mount multiple devices like a constant light and a microphone for video shooting.

In summary, a hot shoe is a connector slot on the top of a camera that allows you to attach various accessories to your camera, expanding its functionality.