Whichever is deemed to be true, linear voltage regulators haven’t changed much in terms of design ... negative current on the same circuit. 7805 IC voltage regulator schematic.

78 XX series regulator IC can handle maximum 1 ampere current. The Regulator ICs require minimum 1.5 higher input voltage than their voltage rating. For example 7805 IC requires minimum 6.5 volts to ...

The 7805 voltage regulator is a great device if you want a simple way of bringing a voltage down to 5V. It’s a three-pin, one-component solution that puts out five volts and a lot of heat.