No EE degree? No problem. Let’s build hardware the way you build software.
You can debug a distributed system. You can optimize a database query. You‘ve probably even contributed to open source. But when someone says “PCB”, you picture a mystical green slab with silver squiggles.
Here’s the truth: designing a printed circuit board is a lot like writing code. You define inputs and outputs, connect logical blocks, and then “compile” (send to a fab). The only difference is that your bugs don‘t crash – they smoke.
This guide will take you from zero to your first fabricated PCB. No electrical engineering background required. Just the same analytical thinking you already use every day.
Part 1: Why Bother? (Or, “Breadboards Are Not Products”)
