The roof is a structure that forms the upper covering of a building. The primary function of a roof is to protect from the elements, but roofs also contribute to the security, safety, privacy, and insulation of the building. Some roofs may have windows or openings to allow light into the building, access ventilation, view outside, and so on.
Roofs often have other features such as communication infrastructure, chimneys, lighting, drainage, building services, routes, and so on. Roofs come in various shapes and are constructed from a wide variety of materials. The shape of roofs is usually determined the requirements that they satisfy, such as availability of skills and materials, local climate, the span to be covered, purpose of the building, specification of roofing in the areas, etc. Some of the common types of roofs are thatch roofs, slate or stone roofs, clay tile roofs, wood shingle roofs, metal roofing systems, asphalt shingle roofing, etc.