Installing Arduino IDE

Contributors: bboyho, b_e_n

Introduction

This tutorial will walk you through downloading, installing, and testing the Arduino software (also known as the Arduino IDE - short for Integrated Development Environment). Before you jump to the page for your operating system, make sure you've got all the right equipment.

Required Materials

To follow along with this tutorial, you will need the following materials. You may not need everything though depending on what you have. Add it to your cart, read through the guide, and adjust the cart as necessary.

• A computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux)
• An Arduino-compatible microcontroller (anything from this guide should work)
• A USB A-to-B cable, or another appropriate way to connect your Arduino-compatible microcontroller to your computer (check out this USB buying guide if you're not sure which cable to get).

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Arduino Uno - R3

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This is the new Arduino Uno R3. In addition to all the features of the previous board, the Uno now uses an ATmega16U2 instead…

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USB Cable A to B - 6 Foot

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This is a standard issue USB 2.0 cable. This is the most common A to B Male/Male type peripheral cable, the kind that's usual…

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Suggested Reading

If you're new to Arduino in general, you'll want to check out this tutorial to familiarize yourself with everyone's favorite microcontroller platform.

Note: There are several variants that use the Arduino Uno R3 footprint. Depending on the design, you may need to install additional drivers for your USB-to-serial converter before you are able to able to upload code to your microcontroller. For example, the RedBoard uses an FTDI while the RedBoard Plus uses the CH340.

Atmega16U2 on the Arduino Uno R3	FTDI on the RedBoard	CH340 on the RedBoard Qwiic

Both use different drivers compared to the Arduino Uno R3. Make sure to look closely at your board and its respective hookup guide to determine USB-to-serial converter that is on board. You will probably have either an FTDI or CH340 populated on the board.

How to Install FTDI Drivers

How to install drivers for the FTDI Basic on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

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How to Install CH340 Drivers

How to install CH340 drivers (if you need them) on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

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Other boards using a different architecture like the RedBoard Turbo (SAMD21) have a built-in USB communication, eliminating the need to have a separate piece of hardware. For more information, check out the blog post on drivers: What Drives your SparkFun Inventor's Kit?.

If you're ready to get started, click on the link in the column on the left that matches up with your operating system, or you can jump to your operating system here.

• Windows
• Mac
• Linux