What is Arduino? Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs - light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a Twitter message - and turn it into an output - activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online.
The text of the Arduino getting started guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Code samples in the guide are released into the public domain. Open-source electronic prototyping platform enabling users to create interactive electronic objects.
The Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) is where you write the Arduino code and upload it to the board. The Arduino IDE is a software application that is run from a computer. The software is free and very easy to use compared with traditional IDEs for microcontrollers.
Unlike most previous programmable circuit boards, the Arduino does not need a separate piece of hardware (called a programmer) in order to load new code onto the board -- you can simply use a USB cable. Additionally, the Arduino IDE uses a simplified version of C++, making it easier to learn to program.