Hybrid Inverter
A grid-tied inverter that also has a battery port and the control logic to charge and discharge storage, deciding moment by moment whether solar energy goes to the loads, to the battery or to the grid. Many hybrids can additionally supply a protected circuit during an outage.
A hybrid replaces what would otherwise be a PV inverter plus a separate battery inverter, which saves a conversion stage and simplifies the installation. When comparing models, look past the headline PV rating at the battery charge and discharge power, the supported battery chemistries and communication protocols, and — crucially — the backup output rating, which is often well below the grid-tied rating. Compatibility lists matter here more than in any other category: a hybrid will usually only work with batteries its firmware explicitly supports.