Arduino brings programming back into contact with the physical world. A few lines of code can respond to a sensor, change a light or move a mechanism — a satisfying connection between an idea on the screen and something you can actually see happening.
Accessible electronics, from the beginning
Arduino started in Ivrea, Italy, in 2005, in the interaction-design teaching environment. Its aim was to make working with electronics and programming more accessible, including to people without a traditional engineering background. Arduino’s own account of its early collaboration and reflection on its origins in 2005 describe that spirit.
The platform combines programmable boards, software tools and a large community sharing examples and libraries. It has grown from an approachable prototyping tool into an ecosystem used by hobbyists, students, artists and professionals. Read more about Arduino.
What can you make with it?
A typical Arduino project reads inputs, makes decisions and controls outputs. Inputs might be a button, a light sensor or a temperature measurement. Outputs could be LEDs, a display, a servo or a motor driver. Depending on the board, network connections can also make remote monitoring possible.
- SenseRead sensors and buttons
- DecideRun the program
- ActControl lights and mechanisms
In the familiar Arduino workflow, a program is called a sketch. You write it using the Arduino framework in C/C++, compile it and upload it to the board. The desktop Arduino IDE brings editing, compilation, uploading and serial monitoring together.
Where my hobbies meet
The appeal is not limited to electronics as a separate activity. Arduino offers a practical crossover with other interests on this website: it can handle small, repeatable tasks while leaving more time for designing, observing and enjoying the result.
Aquascaping
Possible projects include gradual lighting changes, temperature monitoring, water-level alerts and maintenance reminders. Sensors can make the behaviour of an aquarium more visible and help keep track of everyday conditions.
Explore Aquascaping ↗Railway Modeller
Arduino can bring a model railway to life through building lights, day-and-night scenes, level-crossing sequences, servo-operated points and train-detection inputs. Small automations can become part of a much larger miniature world.
Explore Railway Modeller ↗These are examples of what could be built, rather than projects already published here. Starting with low-voltage lighting or monitoring is a useful way to learn; pumps and other higher-power equipment need a suitable driver or interface rather than a direct connection to a board pin.
Tools, learning and inspiration
- Arduino website ↗
Explore the platform, boards, software and community.
- Desktop Arduino IDE ↗
Download the desktop development environment for Windows, macOS or Linux.
- Install Arduino IDE 2 ↗
Official installation instructions for getting started on your computer.
- Arduino documentation ↗
Board information, tutorials and guides for connecting hardware and software.
- Built-in examples ↗
Begin with Blink, buttons, timing, serial communication and other small experiments.
- Language reference ↗
Look up functions, variables and the structure of an Arduino sketch.
- Arduino Project Hub ↗
Browse community projects and ideas for your next experiment.
- Arduino CLI ↗
Build and upload sketches from the command line and integrate them into other development workflows.
- Arduino Forum ↗
Ask questions and learn from discussions with other makers.
Coming soon
Open-source Arduino projects
My open-source Arduino projects will appear here soon, including experiments that connect programming with Aquascaping and Railway Modeller. Source code and project documentation will be added as they become available.
Projects have not been published here yet. This section will grow as they become available.