How did the matchlock allow one soldier to aim and fire a weapon?

The matchlock was a revolutionary advancement in small arms because it was the first mechanical device that allowed a single soldier to aim and fire a weapon simultaneously.12

Prior to this development, firing hand-portable weapons often required an assistant to apply a match to the priming powder. The matchlock solved this by utilizing an S-shaped arm known as a serpentine, which held a smoldering length of match. By pulling a trigger, the soldier activated a mechanism that lowered the serpentine, bringing the lighted match into contact with the priming powder in a flashpan attached to the side of the barrel.12

This ignition triggered the main charge through a small port, firing the weapon. As the technology evolved, the mechanism was enclosed within the gunstock and improved with features like a spring-driven arm and a linked flashpan cover, which protected the powder from the elements and allowed the soldier to maintain their aim while firing.12