The main difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner is how they work and their main purpose.

​A heat pump (HP) is a heating and cooling system that uses heat transfer principles to regulate the temperature of a space. It is designed to extract heat from the outside (air, water or ground) and transfer it inside to heat a building. It can also work in reverse to cool a space by extracting heat from the interior and releasing it outside. By using renewable energy sources present in the environment, such as outdoor air or the ground, heat pumps are often considered to be more efficient and environmentally friendly heating systems compared to traditional heating methods. .

On the other hand, air conditioning is a system that mainly aims to cool an interior space by removing heat from the surrounding air. Air conditioners are often used to maintain a comfortable temperature during hot times of the year. They typically use a refrigerant to absorb heat from the indoor air and release it outside, creating a cool environment indoors.

It should be noted that some heat pumps can also provide cooling functions in addition to their heating capacity. These reversible systems are called reversible heat pumps or air-to-air heat pumps. They can switch between heating mode and cooling mode as needed.

In summary, heat pump is a heating and cooling system capable of transferring heat from outdoors to indoors or vice versa, while air conditioning is mainly designed to cool indoor air.