Clogging and tap dance share many steps and are based around the dancers keeping in time with the beat of the music. The word clog is based on an ancient Gaelic word meaning time.
The design of clogging shoes differs by the influence of the country of origin. For example English style clogging shoes have a wooden sole while Irish style cloggers wear leather soled shoes closer in design to tap shoes.
One of the major differences is the buck tap of the clog shoe, which is a small steel flange over the toe that is not present on the tap shoe. The buck tap provides a small amount of protection for the toe.
The buck tap is important in clogging but is difficult to use in tap as steps such as toe stands can be difficult to perform–the slick metal flange could cause the tap dancer to slip and fall.
Tap shoes are designed with a single tap riveted to the heel and toe of the shoe to create a loud sound when struck on the floor. Clogging shoes are often designed with a second tap riveted on top of a tap to create a double tapped shoe with a jingling sound that differs from that of the tap shoe.