How do the patterns of interference and diffraction differ?

The interference pattern consists of a series of bright and dark fringes. These fringes are evenly spaced and are the result of constructive and destructive interference of coherent light waves. For example, in Young's double-slit experiment, you observe alternate bright and dark bands on the screen.

The diffraction pattern, particularly from a single slit, features a central bright fringe (the central maximum) that is much wider and more intense than the other fringes. The intensity of the fringes decreases as you move away from the center. The spacing of the fringes is not uniform, and the pattern is created due to the bending and spreading of light waves around the edges of the slit.

In essence, interference patterns are characterized by uniform spacing, while diffraction patterns show a central bright fringe with non-uniformly spaced, diminishing intensity fringes.