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What is the difference between a simply supported beam bridge and a continuous beam bridge?

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bridge The multiple-span Seto Great Bridge over the Inland Sea, linking Kojima, Honshu, with Sakaide, Shikoku, Japan.

In bridge engineering, the primary difference between these two types of beam bridges lies in how the beams are connected over their supports:

Simply supported beam bridge: This structure consists of beams that span between only two supports. Each span acts independently.12
Continuous beam bridge: This structure is formed when two or more beams are joined rigidly together over the supports.12

Both designs are common in modern infrastructure, such as highway overpasses and railways, and both are generally limited to relatively short spans—typically no more than 76 metres (250 feet)—to maintain structural stability.2