Hooks are employed almost exclusively by aid climbers, although sport climbers putting up new routes also use them in order to rest and place bolts. They are not for use as protection; they are utilized only to create a "hold" for ascending a rock.
Most hooks look like their name (bigger ones look like meat hooks), with a curved end that has a point or points and a stabilizing, flat end that rests on the wall. The width of the base varies. They are placed on small ledges, flakes or in small holes that aid climbers drill on otherwise blank rock faces.
Hooks vary in size and shape. Some have up to 180-degree curves, while others have just 90-degree curves. Some have one hook, while others have up to three hooks. There is also the wide, narrow and rounded cam hook, which is placed and then cammed sideways in a vertical crack.
What to Look for
How a climber chooses her hooks should depend on what type of routes she will be climbing. She should do her research by perusing topographical descriptions of the desired routes and talking with people who have already done those routes. Often climbers will offer specific details about which hooks they used en route.
A person who is interested in clean aid climbing (i.e. climbing without only gear that can be removed without damaging the rock) should include an assortment of Leeper cam hooks on his rack. They are ideal for really think cracks, micro cracks and fragile flakes, and will often fit in places where nuts won't fit.
Talons are versatile with three points that vary in width, and are therefore useful on any route. When one point is used, the other two points act as a stabilizing force for the hook. Single-pointed hooks come in a variety of sizes, featuring wide bases that help stabilize them when they are placed over edges of various sizes. Some larger ones (Sky and Grappling hooks) are useful for large flakes over which the hook can be wrapped, while smaller hooks (Cliffhanger) are better used for small ledges. Hooks with less curvature (Logan) are better for flatter ledges. Typically a climber will need an assortment of hooks.
Common Pitfalls
The only real pitfall of hooks is that they are very unstable, but that instability can be alleviated slightly by Duct taping them to the wall if the situation warrants. Hooks just weren't meant to be used as anything but an aid in getting up an otherwise blank face.
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