Arduino - Getting started with Arduino

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Guide Contents | Introduction | How To: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux; Arduino Nano, Arduino Mini, Arduino BT, LilyPad Arduino, Arduino Pro, Arduino Pro Mini; Xbee shield | Troubleshooting | Environment

## Guide to Getting Started with Arduino

You just got your Arduino in the mail and now you're ready to start having fun with Physical Computing? Here is the best place to start, with tutorials and guides to help you get started with Arduino hardware and software! From how to turn it on and plug it in to installing the driver and uploading your very first sketch program. These getting started guides are required reading for all new users!

### In This Quick-Start Guide...

This guide tell you everything you need to get started with Arduino and how to configure your setup so you can upload your first sketch. It consists of the following pages:

- Introduction: Read this introduction for an explanation of what Arduino is and why you'd want to use it.

- Step-by-step instructions for how to get set up with your Arduino hardware and software. This is the most important part of the getting started guide! Click whichever link matches your computer set-up:
  - Windows
  - Mac OS X
  - Linux

- If you're using one of the following Arduino variants or shields, they have their own introductory guides as well:
  - Arduino Nano
  - Arduino Mini
  - Arduino BT
  - LilyPad Arduino
  - Arduino Pro
  - Arduino Pro Mini

  - Xbee shield

- Troubleshooting: HELP!!! Having problems? Read the troubleshooting guide for advice on what to do if things don't work.

- Sofware environment: A more detailed description of the Arduino software (development environment) and its parts.

### Other guides on the Arduino website

- Arduino booklet: an fun introduction to physical computing, electronics, and Arduino. Printable PDF with hand-drawn illustrations.

### More detailed guides, from our friends

- Learn electronics using Arduino: a great multi-part tutorial with tons of pictures, code, circuits, even video. Highly recommended.

- TodBot's course guides Longer presentation-format documents introducing Arduino from a Halloween hacking class taught by TodBot: class 1 (getting started), class 2 (input and sensors), class 3 (communication, servos, and pwm), class 4 (piezo sound & sensors, arduino+processing, stand-alone operation).

- Wiring electronics reference: circuit diagrams for connecting a variety of basic electronic components.

- Schematics to circuits: from Wiring, a guide to transforming circuit diagrams into physical circuits.

- Tom Igoe's Physical Computing Site: lots of information on electronics, microcontrollers, sensors, actuators, books, etc.

The text of the Arduino getting started guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Code samples in the guide are released into the public domain.

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