Addressable fire alarm panels are usually much more advanced than their conventional counterparts, with a higher degree of programming flexibility and single point detection. Addressable fire alarm panels were introduced by many manufacturers during the microcontroller boom in the mid 1980s.

Intelligent fire alarm systems are designed for flexibility through custom programming specific to each application. Dedicated outputs are logically controlled by inputs based on the programming matrix written. They are capable of supporting multiple Signal Line Circuits (SLC) where each device on the SLC is assigned a unique identification called an address. In most cases the number of devices on an SLC can range from one to several hundred and vary in number of detectors and modules combined. Each device constantly communicates with the control panel through microprocessor technology to report its status on the SLC. Within seconds, alarms, supervisory and trouble conditions are alerted to the control panel and a precise location of the event is displayed.