What are the differences between pneumatic nail types like "smooth" and "ring" for house framing?
Definitions


Hot galvanized: Dipped in molten zinc as an anti-corrosion measure. The alternative is electro-plating, which results in a smoother but thinner coating. 
Brite: Not galvanized. Usually not cement-coated.
Smooth: An untextured shank. Regular nails. Often coated with yellow or magenta "cement", a bonding agent that noticeably increases pullout resistance.
Ring: Ring-textured shanks for improved pullout resistance. 


Usage

You'll use 12d (twelve penny, 3 or 3-1/4") smooth nails for most framing. We actually refer to those as 16d as they're the functional equivalent of 16d sinkers. They may be cement coated. Nails used with the current crop of pressure-treated wood often need to be galvanized or stainless to prevent accelerated corrosion. 

You'll use 8d (eight penny, 2, 2-1/4", or 2-3/8") ring-shank nails for subflooring if not using screws.