However, it has several internal functions such as memory for storing programs and data, input ports for connecting external devices like sensors or buttons, output ports for controlling lights or motors, clock crystals that provide precise timing to the processor, and power regulators that convert battery power into the voltage required by the processor's circuits.Ģ. Unlike a single-board computer, an Arduino is a microcontroller board and can’t run an operating system-see the differences between microcontrollers and SBCs. The Arduino project uses a basic programming language called Arduino which is based on C/C++ and an integrated development environment (IDE) written in Java. The microcontroller can be programmed to perform a wide range of tasks, from controlling lights and computers to reading sensors and measuring temperature.Īrduino has been around since 2005 when it started as a project by students at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea (IDII) in Ivrea, Italy, and has gained much widespread adoption since then.
The Arduino platform comprises a programmable microcontroller board and an integrated development environment (IDE).
