A conductance-based model of Na+ and K+ currents underlying action potential generation is introduced by simplifying the quantitative model of Hodgkin and Huxley (HH). If the time course of rate constants can be approximated by a pulse, HH equations can be solved analytically. Pulse-based (PB) models generate action potentials very similar to the HH model but are computationally faster. Unlike the classical integrate-and-fire (IAF) approach, they take into account the changes of conductances during and after the spike, which have a determinant influence in shaping neuronal responses. Similarities and differences among PB, IAF, and HH models are illustrated for three cases: high-frequency repetitive firing, spike timing following random synaptic inputs, and network behavior in the presence of intrinsic currents.