These two types of doors are exterior doors. However, they are differentiated by the location of the hinges and how they function. While French doors are hinged at the sides of the frame, garden doors are hinged at the centre and consist of a rolling screen door. While they come with two panels, only one panel is operational while the other is fixed. French doors also come with two panels, one operational panel and a stationary one, which can be operated when the locking mechanism is released.