Minecraft wiki entry for Redstone_circuits, associated text: Pistons have allowed players to design circuits that are smaller and/or faster than the standard, redstone-only counterparts. An understanding of standard redstone circuits is helpful, as this tutorial is focused on the circuit design rather than the function. The main components here are sticky pistons, redstone wire, repeaters, and redstone torches. Regular pistons can also see use, especially combined with gravity blocks.