CRACKERS are dry, thin and crisp savory biscuits that developed from military hardtack and nautical ship biscuits.
The holes in crackers are called "docking" holes. The holes are placed in the dough to stop air pockets from forming in the cracker while baking.
Crackers are most often savory and salted rather than sweet. They sometimes have cheese or spices as ingredients, or even chicken stock.
BREADSTICKS or "GRISSINI" first appeared in Turin and the surrounding area in Piedmont but they are now at home in countries everywhere. No one knows exactly when they appeared but it is certain that production began at least as long ago as the 17th century. The versions made today in virtually every part of Italy and shipped to numerous foreign markets are pencil-thin. But the bakers of Turin and vicinity still turn out the original model, shaping it by hand, so that it is somewhat twisted and irregular. It is thicker and longer than the modern variant and it is, recognizably, a real bread.
FLATBREADS or LAHVASH crackers are thin flatbreads made with flour, water, and salt. Toasted sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds are sometimes sprinkled on it before baking.
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