Component lists for Arduino and Raspberry Pi projects tend to snowball into buying far more than a first project actually needs. Here's what's genuinely essential, and what you can safely skip until you know you need it.
- Arduino Uno / Mega: Requires a USB Type-A to Type-B cable for sketch flashing and serial monitor communication.
- Arduino Nano: Older clones use Mini-USB; modern official versions and updated boards use USB-C or Micro-USB.
- Raspberry Pi 4 / 5: Requires a dedicated 5.1V / 3A (Pi 4) or 5A (Pi 5) USB-C power supply and Micro-HDMI to HDMI cables for display output.
- Breadboard Prototyping: Always stock 40-pin Dupont jumper wires in all three combinations: Male-to-Male, Male-to-Female, and Female-to-Female.
The one thing every project needs: Dupont cables
Dupont jumper wires are how you connect a microcontroller to a breadboard, sensors, or other components without soldering. There are three connector types, and which one you need depends entirely on what you're connecting:
- Male-to-Male — breadboard to breadboard, or component pin to breadboard socket
- Male-to-Female — board header pin (Arduino/Raspberry Pi) to breadboard socket — the one you'll reach for most often
- Female-to-Female — connecting two components that both have exposed pins, like sensor to sensor
Most first-time buyers only buy one type and end up needing the others within their first couple of projects — our Dupont cable range covers all three types individually, or as a 3-in-1 bundle that saves you a second order.
Genuinely optional: extra length cables
10cm cables are enough for anything sitting directly on or next to a breadboard. 20cm only matters once you're spacing components further apart — inside an enclosure, or connecting to something not physically next to the board. Don't buy 20cm by default; buy it when a specific project needs the reach. Both lengths are available across all three connector types and the bundle.
USB-C to USB-A / OTG adapters: needed more often than expected
If you're programming from a laptop with only USB-C ports, or connecting a USB peripheral (keyboard, flash drive, USB microscope) directly to a Raspberry Pi's USB-C port, an OTG USB-C to USB-A adapter solves both. Worth having on hand rather than discovering mid-project that your cable doesn't fit the port you have.
A powered USB hub: only once your project grows
A single Arduino or Pi project rarely needs a hub. Once you're running multiple USB peripherals off one board — a webcam, external drive, and keyboard simultaneously on a Pi, for instance — a powered USB hub becomes necessary rather than optional, for the same reason covered in our powered vs unpowered hub guide — a Pi's onboard USB power budget is limited.
What you don't need to start
Skip breadboard power supply modules, logic level converters, and specialty connector types until a specific project calls for them by name. Buying ahead of an actual project usually means buying the wrong spec for what you end up needing anyway.
FAQ
Do I need different Dupont cables for Arduino vs Raspberry Pi?
No — the same Male-to-Male/Male-to-Female/Female-to-Female cables work across both, since they both use standard 2.54mm pin headers.
How many Dupont cables should I start with?
A pack covering all three connector types is enough for most first projects — 40 wires per type gives enough spares for wiring mistakes and reuse.
Does the 240W OTG adapter work for data too, or just charging?
Both — it supports up to 10Gbps data transfer alongside the fast-charging pass-through, so it works for peripherals as well as charging.
Shop the full range: Electronics & Accessories | Related reading: Powered vs Unpowered USB Hubs