system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What's the difference between an Embassy and a Consulate?
gpt
Its kind of like a library system, you have the main big library in your area and the smaller branches depending on it. 

In simple terms the embassy is the main headquarters, where the ambassador lives there can only be one ambassador from a country so therefore only one embassy. 

Consulates are offices of the embassy spread out in bigger cities so you dont have to travel to the embassy, they provide the same services but slower at the Consulates because they usually send or forward the paperwork to the embassy.