Dried chickpeas are inedible as they are. In South Asia, a certain species is split and fried with other aromatics when making curry.

If you soak them they absorb moisture and become soaked chickpeas, but they are still inedible as they are. Please make sure to drain and wash these before using them.

If you take soaked chickpeas and process them with aromatics and spices, you can make falafel.

If you take soaked chickpeas and boil/pressure cook them until soft, you get boiled chickpeas. These are edible as they are, this is what comes out of the canned chickpeas tins.

You can do whatever you want with boiled chickpeas. Bake them, hummus them, stew them, mash and deep fry them, endless possibilities.

Remember to check the safety instructions whenever you deal with beans!