What are these male sockets called, and what are they used for

hand-toolssocket

This has taken me an embarrassingly long time to figure out, but how the heck do male sockets work? Or, what are these different tools called?

A socket wrench is usually male. A socket usually has two female ends:
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But I also have some of these male sockets. It also looks like socket extensions suffer from the same problem:

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Are there female socket wrenches? How would I know which type I need?

Or, for the real-world example that actually inspired this question:

(ignore the fact that those are flex-sockets)
enter image description here

Best Answer

Hex shank to square drive adapter

This bit is a hex shank to square drive adapter, which allows you to use square drive bits with a drill/driver.

Hex shank to square drive

Hex shank socket

The second set of tools is hard to tell for sure what it is. If the sliver bit at the bottom has a hexagonal cutout in it, then they are hex shank sockets. If that's what they are, they allow you to drive hex bolts/nuts using a drill/driver.

Square drive hex (allen) key

If the silver bit at the bottom of the second set of bits is square, then they are square drive hex (allen) keys. In this case, they allow you to drive hex/allen bolts using a square drive tool.

Hex shank sockets or square drive hex keys

Hex shank sockets

These are defiantly hex shank sockets. They have a hexagonal shank, and a hexagonal hole at the other end. They allow you to drive nuts/bolts using a drill/driver.

Hex shank socket

Flexible (Jointed) sockets

These appear to be flexible (jointed) sockets. They should have a square hole at one end, and a hexagonal hole at the other. They allow you to drive nuts/bots with a square drive tool.

Flexible socket

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