As developers, we often find ourselves solving similar problems time and time again. Luckily, we have discovered a way to make our lives easier through the use of libraries. These libraries contain pre-written code that can be reused and shared among developers, allowing us to save time and effort in our programming tasks.
Arduino, a popular platform for building electronic projects, also offers a wide range of libraries that can enhance our projects. Some libraries are official, carefully curated by the Arduino team. You can find these official libraries on the Arduino website (https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/libraries/) and explore their source code on GitHub (https://github.com/arduino-libraries). Collaborating on these libraries is also possible, as you have the freedom to submit fixes and improvements.
Including official libraries in your Arduino project is incredibly straightforward. In the Arduino IDE, navigate to the Sketch menu and select Include Library. A list of default Arduino libraries will appear, allowing you to choose the one that suits your needs. For example, let’s select the Servo library. This will automatically add the line #include <Servo.h> at the top of your code file, making the library available for use in your project.
Additionally, you can easily include more libraries by utilizing the Library Manager. Simply open the Tools menu and select Manage libraries.... A window will pop up, displaying a variety of libraries that you can download and use in your projects.
However, not all libraries are official or available through the Library Manager. In these cases, you can turn to Google and search for the specific library you need. Once you’ve found the desired library, you can add it to your project by selecting Include Library in the Arduino IDE’s Sketch menu and choosing Add .ZIP library. This allows you to load the library from a zip file. After loading the library, you will find it listed under the Contributed libraries section in the menu.
Utilizing libraries in Arduino greatly simplifies the development process by providing ready-made solutions to common problems. By leveraging both official libraries and those contributed by the community, you can expedite your projects and enhance their functionality. So make sure to explore the vast collection of Arduino libraries available and take advantage of them in your next project!