What is the difference between macaroni and pasta?

It's like saying "What's the difference between a Ford and a car?" A Ford is a specific *type* of car, just as macaroni is a specific *type* of pasta.

Pasta is a broad term referring to a range of dried, dough-based foods, typically made from wheat flour and water. Macaroni, on the other hand, is a specific type of pasta that is shaped like short, hollow tubes.

So, while macaroni is pasta, not all pasta is macaroni.