Microchip Makes FAQs

Microchip Makes is an initiative aimed at supporting makers, hobbyists, DIY creators, students and engineers to support embedded applications and projects using our products. It serves as a collaborative hub for learning and innovation offering tutorials, webinars and resources designed specifically for the global maker community.

Microchip Makes connects creators with the tools, knowledge and inspiration from a vibrant global network to turn ideas into working projects. Key benefits include:

• Structured learning: Beginners to professionals gain access to structured, interactive tutorials and learning modules. Explore our MakerZone Webinar Series and free courses available through Microchip University.
• Global collaboration: Connect and collaborate with a global network of like-minded innovators and makers.
• Partner ecosystem: Learn through resources from trusted partners such as Arduino^®, Adafruit^®, SparkFun^® and MikroElektronika.
• Stay informed: Keep up with industry trends and technologies through our social media and blog posts
• Hands-on projects: Explore hardware reference designs and development kits that support your hands-on projects.
• Simplified development: Use our free software tools to code, test and debug efficiently.
• Events for enthusiasts: Participate in workshops, competitions and interactive sessions to showcase and enhance your skills. For more information, see our Events page.
• Technical support from engineers: Get help directly from our engineers and community members on our forums.

Microchip Makes empowers creators at all levels to foster innovation, education and skill growth.

Yes, access to tutorials, webinars, blogs, forums and other resources is completely free. Creating a free myMicrochip account unlocks additional benefits and core features remain open to everyone.

Yes, Microchip actively supports STEM education and student projects through:

• Access to free Microchip University courses, empowering beginners and experienced makers with knowledge, tools and resources
• Partnerships with Arduino, Adafruit, SparkFun and MikroElektronika to support learning and student-focused initiatives
• Sponsoring student competitions and hackathons
• Design projects which highlight innovative creations developed by makers and academics from around the world

You can build everything from simple electronics like the featured LED Probe (a portable LED tester using ATtiny85 or ATtiny202 microcontrollers (MCUs) that detects polarity and conserves power) to advanced embedded systems like arcade joysticks, Internet of Things (IoT), password-protected electronic locks and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) access control systems.

We offer a wide range of products for the maker community. The following options are frequently selected by makers:

• AVR^® family MCUs:
  • ATtiny (tinyAVR^®): Ideal for compact, low-power projects like LED testers
  • ATmega (megaAVR^®): Commonly used in Arduino boards
  • ATxmega (XMEGA™): Suited for more advanced maker applications
• PIC^® MCUs:
  • PIC16F / PIC18F: Great for beginner-friendly, low-cost embedded projects
  • PIC24 / dsPIC^®: Designed for robotics, motor control and real-time systems
• SAM MCUs: ARM^® Cortex^®-based MCUs that power many Arduino boards
• Curiosity and Curiosity Nano boards: Plug-and-play platforms perfect for prototyping and learning
• MPLAB^® PICkit™ Basic In-Circuit Debugger: A low-cost, professional-grade tool for debugging a wide range of our devices

To explore all available options, visit our Products and Evaluation kits pages.

Microchip Makes ecosystem offers versatile development kits and partner boards, including:

• Microchip Boards:
  • Curiosity Development Boards: Feature-rich platforms designed to accelerate prototyping and application testing across a range of PIC^® and AVR^® MCUs.
  • Curiosity Nano Boards: Compact, USB-powered boards ideal for quick experimentation and integration with MPLAB^® X IDE for rapid development.
  • Xplained Pro Boards: Professional-grade evaluation kits offering extensive debug support, expansion headers and compatibility with a variety of peripherals. View all Boards.
• MPLAB PICkit Basic Debugger Kit: A low-cost, professional-grade tool for programming and debugging a wide range of our devices with seamless integration into the MPLAB ecosystem.

You can purchase boards for hobby or maker projects through:

• Our official Development Boards Listing page
• Microchip Direct (our online store)

Visit the Microchip Makes page to explore and purchase products from our trusted partners.

You can explore an extensive library of maker-focused learning materials and tutorials by visiting the official Microchip Makes page, which features Microchip University courses (dedicated courses and training programs for hands-on learning), the MakerZone Webinar Series (covering evaluation boards and MCU ecosystems with Q&A), the Lab Series (product demonstrations) and Maker blogs (curated content on projects and innovations). You can also access extensive tutorials and videos on our Microchip YouTube Channel.

You can find innovative project ideas from makers around the world by visiting the Featured Project Archives page and by joining our social media channels.

Join the conversation in the Microchip Forum or the AVR Freaks^® Forum, two thriving communities where engineers and hobbyists collaborate, exchange ideas and solve technical challenges together.

Yes, our long-standing partnership with Arduino brings SAM and AVR MCUs into Arduino boards, expanding functionality and versatility for makers. Many of our MCUs are fully compatible with the Arduino IDE, making it easy to prototype and program.

For more information and product details, visit our official Arduino Maker and DIY Solutions page.