What is Arduino

Arduino is a versatile open-source electronics platform designed for hobbyists, students, and professionals to create interactive projects easily. At its core is a microcontroller board containing a tiny computer chip with memory and various input/output pins. Users write code, typically in a simplified version of C/C++, using the Arduino IDE, then upload it to the board via USB.

The board can read data from sensors and control lights, motors, and other actuators through its input/output pins. It can be powered by USB, batteries, or external supplies and communicates with other devices via protocols like serial, I2C, and SPI. Arduino's flexibility is expanded through its ecosystem of shields and modules, which add functionalities like Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or motor control. Its simplicity, versatility, and affordability have made it a popular choice for a wide range of electronics projects, from simple blinking LED experiments to complex IoT applications.