What is a Breadboard?
A breadboard is a solderless prototyping board that lets you build temporary circuits without soldering. Components push into holes and are connected by hidden metal strips underneath.
Internal Connections
+ - | a b c d e | | f g h i j | + -
═ ═ | ● ● ● ● ● | | ● ● ● ● ● | ═ ═
═ ═ | ● ● ● ● ● | | ● ● ● ● ● | ═ ═
═ ═ | ● ● ● ● ● | | ● ● ● ● ● | ═ ═
═ ═ | ● ● ● ● ● | | ● ● ● ● ● | ═ ═Power Rails (+ and -)
- Run the full length of the board
- + (red line): Connect to 5V
- - (blue line): Connect to GND
Terminal Strips (a-e and f-j)
- Each row of 5 holes is connected (a-b-c-d-e)
- The center gap separates left (a-e) from right (f-j)
- Perfect for IC chips that straddle the gap
Wiring Rules
- Power first: Connect 5V and GND from Arduino to power rails
- Use the rails: Don't run wires back to Arduino for every GND
- Color coding: Red = power, Black = ground, other colors for signals
- Short wires: Keep wires short and flat for a tidy board
- Don't share rows unintentionally: Each hole in a row is connected
Common Mistakes
- Inserting components across the wrong rows
- Forgetting that the center gap breaks the connection
- Not connecting both power rails (some boards split rails at the center)
- Bent pins that don't make contact
- Too many wires in one hole (max 1 per hole)
Tips
- ICs (chips) straddle the center gap so each pin gets its own row
- Use the breadboard diagram in each lesson to check your wiring
- LEDs and other polarized components must face the right direction