This is a page of links to maker skill tutorials published by others. It is a highly curated list of tutorials that I feel are accessible to beginners, relevant to the kind of maker projects provided on this site, and from reliable sources. Moreover, the focus will be on basic processes and components of commonly used hardware rather than projects, complex systems, software, or specific brands.
The links on this page were last checked in June, 2019.
Major categories are grouped by subject and then individual entries are generally listed alphabetically within each category.
For tutorials on subjects not specifically covered here, check out:
Sparkfun tutorials on electronics (components and products with some projects).
Adafruit tutorials on electronics (project oriented but some components and projects)
Electronics
Tools and Techniques
Using Eagle to design circuit boards. Parts one, two, and three from Sparkfun.
Multimeters. Overview video and tutorial in greater depth from Sparkfun.
Oscilloscopes. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Soldering. Tutorial with videos from Sparkfun. Short, carefully illustrated tutorial from Adafruit.
Breadboards. Youtube tutorial on how to use a breadboard.
Individual Components
Accelerometers. Tutorial from Sparkfun
Batteries. General Tutorial and focus on Li-Ion and LiPoly from Adafruit.
Capacitors. Tutorial from Sparkfun
Diodes. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Electroluminescent (EL) wire. Tutorial from Adafruit.
Force Sensitive Resistor (FSR). Tutorial from Adafruit.
Infrared (IR) Sensors. Basic IR sensor tutorial from Adafruit. IR rangefinder guide from Acroname.
LEDs. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
WS2812 LED “NeopPixels.” Guide from Adafruit.
Motors. Basic tutorial from Sparkfun. Comprehensive motor selection guide from Adafruit.
Photocells. Tutorial from Adafruit.
Polarity of components. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Power Supplies. Tutorial from Adafruit.
Thermal Receipt Printer. Tutorial from Adafruit.
Resistors. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Switches. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Tilt Sensors. Tutorial from Adafruit.
TMP36 Temperature Sensor. Tutorial from Adafruit. Also their guide to DHT temperature sensors.
Transistors. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Ultrasonic Sensors. Guide from intorobotics.
Wire. Tutorial from Sparkfun. Also Adafruit’s wire and cable tutorial. Conductive thread tutorial from Adafruit.
Circuits
How to use a Breadboard. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Logic Levels. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Pulse-width Modulation (PWM). Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Schematics. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Serial and Parallel Circuits. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
Serial Communications. Tutorial on Sparkfun.
Voltage Dividers. Tutorial from Sparkfun.
More on circuits (and dc in general) from All About Circuits.
Microcontrollers
Arduino Guide. In 32 (!) parts from Adafruit.
Manufacturing
Prototype 2 Production. Tutorial blog on taking your electronics designs through manufacturing in China from Particle.
Seeed Studio design for manufacturing specifications.
General Tools
Calipers. Tutorial from Adafruit.