October 29, 2021 / 12 /

22 Resources for Learning Electronics From Scratch (For Beginners)

Learning electronics can be fun sometimes but for other times can be really frustrating. So having good resources around can help reduce those frustration and enhance your knowledge on how to build circuits or even how to troubleshoot electronic gadgets.

Because electronics is not something to just study as a theory but needed to be applied practically, and on your way of getting your hands on electronics, you will become better at it.

So in this post, I will be sharing some useful resources to help you learn electronics on your own including YouTube videos, books, websites and even forums (to help you ask questions).

YouTube channels

• GreatScott!
  As a beginner, this YouTube channel is all you need because it has videos on what the essential electronics component beginners or even an amateur in electronics need, and also explaining what each component are and what they are used for.
  Beside that also, it has some mini projects that you can try to build and in doing so you’re expanding on your knowledge.
• Afrotechmods
  This channel is similar to that of GreatScott! but can be really helpful for even student because he touches electronics on the basis of design and the academic standard up to the advance level.
  He also has a website Afrotechmods.com
• SparkFun Electronics
  One of the series I love from this channel is that of according to pete! because he explains stuffs in a lucid way and especially the videos on transistors.
  Because for me transistors seems kind of complex before but now has become more clear.
• Makezine
  Makezine is a youtube channel with lots of electronic resource and part of the series or playlist I love is that of Collins Lab in which collins deals with some electronic stuff in a better and fun way.
• ElectroBOOM
  If you love to learn electronics in a funny way, this channel electroboom got you because he does some mistakes intentionally which seems to be dangerous but that way he his teaching you not to make such mistakes too.
• EEVBlog
  This channel has some interesting videos that covers some basics of electronics in the aspects of designing and theory for students or even electronics hobbyist.
  Also there is a forum available by EEVBlog for electrical or electronics lover.
• MrCarlsonsLab
  MrCarlsonsLab is another YouTube channel that has tons of resource on electronics including the electronics kits you need to have and even how to build a small lab.
• MjLorton
  Mjlorton also have great videos on how to use an oscilloscope, a power supply and more basic and advance electronics stuff.
• Paul McWhorter
  As building circuit with microcontroller is becoming popular and well used, having a knowledge on how to use Arduino or Raspberry Pie is really essential in your journey of becoming an electronics hobbyist.
  Because microcontroller are the key kit or electronic gadgets that IOT (internet of things) revolves around, also it allows you to build circuits fast without having to do everything from scratch.
  Another recommendation is that you can even start to learn electronics by designing circuits with Arduino and this channel really got you covered and that’s what I used to start my journey in learning how microcontrollers work.
  Since working with Arduino, you will have to deal with programming and most especially using C or C++.
  To get a fundamental on that, here is a C programming tutorial to help you out. Putting in mind that even if you haven’t program before, the Paul McWhorter channel can help you out, so all you need is just build those projects along with his guide.
• Jeremy Blum
  Is a geek when it comes to electronics and Arduino, he has a YouTube channel that has some stuffs related to electronics and Arduino and also a book that is a bit more amateurish to help you broaden your knowledge on Arduino.

Books

Here are few books to help you expand on the knowledge that you couldn’t get from the YouTube channels or what they explained is not clear to you. Also it will be useful for those that loves to read as oppose to watching videos.

• Practical Electronics for Inventors
  As the name implies, it’s kind of a comprehensive book that electronics hobbyist and student mostly find useful.
• The Art of Electronics
  The art of electronics is another great book similar to that of the Practical Electronics for Inventors and according to my research and knowledge expansion, most electronics geek has one of this book lying around.
• Beginner's Guide to Transistors
  If you are somebody like me that love to understand the fundamental behind how things work, you will find this book useful because it explain what a transistor is in a well detailed way for beginners.
  Because apart from the basic resistor, diodes, capacitor or even inductor, transistor is an essential component present in almost every electronics gadget you will come across be it your smart phone or computer.
• Getting Started in Electronics by Forrest Mims
  Forrest Mims has some interesting books on electronics that seems like the overview or a mini version of big concepts or projects. In some of his books like electronics, reading through in short time will give you more insight on electronics.
  And also some of his books are based on building mini projects that when you lay your hands onto building and troubleshooting will enhance your knowledge e.g. Engineer's Mini Notebook: Op Amp IC Circuit and even more.
• Arduino Project Handbook: 25 Practical Projects to Get You Started
  For more fun projects on Arduino, this book is great. And it is one of the books that I love to use to practice my Arduino and electronics skill. It is a two volume book that start from really basic project then grind things up to more advance project.
• Arduino + Android Projects for the Evil Genius: Control Arduino with Your Smartphone or Tablet
  Another good book on arduino that might also be useful.
• Hacking Electronics: Learning Electronics with Arduino and Raspberry Pi
  is yet another good book on Arduino and Raspberry Pi by the author of Practical Electronics for Inventors.

Websites

• Electrical4u
  As you can see from the name, it has tons of articles related to electrical and electronics which can be a lifesaving resource for student (mostly) and for electronics hobbyist.
• Electronics-Tutorials
  is yet another online resource that has tons or value information ranging from amplifier, sequential logic, filters and much more.

Forums

• EEVBlog Forum
  As I mention previously that EEVBlog has a forum which serves as a community to help electronics or electrical engineers find solution to some problem they might stumble upon.
• Reddits
  Searching on reddits for some subreddits related to electrical or electronics engineering is useful because you will learn more from people's project and mistake and even have your own projects troubleshooted.
• Quora
  Another forum just like reddit and it is really helpful because you will learn more from different minded people.

The truth is, there are tons of useful resource online but trying to overwhelm yourself with them will make you end up not learning useful stuff so just try to stick to the ones that is really helping you out and overtime you will become good at electronics because I believe learning electronics is a skill that even the experts develop over time not in a day so be patience and have fun on your journey.

But to note out, if there is any resource that it even better than those listed here, kindly share with us so we can share it with the community too. Cheers tooabstracter 🎉