Do I need to buy hardware for this tutorial?

No. Everything runs in the browser: Circuitly simulates the board, the components and the code. Real hardware is optional if you want to rebuild the circuit afterwards.

Which components are used?

Arduino UNO board, LCD 16x2 (I2C). They are already available in the simulator library.

How long does it take?

About 20 minutes, intermediate level, in 4 guided steps.

What should I know before starting?

The previous tutorial in the series, “OLED: plotting a curve”, is enough preparation. No software install is required.

Is the code provided and checked?

The simulator checks your wiring and your code automatically at every step, and shows the commented solution if you get stuck.

All tutorials

4 · Displays & buses

16×2 LCD display

Intermediate20 min

Goal

Write two lines of text plus an incrementing counter.

Why it matters

The alphanumeric LCD is still the most common display in industry.

What you need

Arduino UNO board
LCD 16x2 (I2C)

Nothing to buy: every component below is simulated in the browser.

Steps

01Add the 16×2 LCD (I²C, address 0x27).
02Initialise the bus inside setup().
03Write a title on line 0.
04Show a counter refreshed every second on line 1.

This tutorial runs inside the Circuitly simulator: your wiring and your code are checked automatically at every step.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need to buy hardware for this tutorial?: No. Everything runs in the browser: Circuitly simulates the board, the components and the code. Real hardware is optional if you want to rebuild the circuit afterwards.
Which components are used?: Arduino UNO board, LCD 16x2 (I2C). They are already available in the simulator library.
How long does it take?: About 20 minutes, intermediate level, in 4 guided steps.
What should I know before starting?: The previous tutorial in the series, “OLED: plotting a curve”, is enough preparation. No software install is required.
Is the code provided and checked?: The simulator checks your wiring and your code automatically at every step, and shows the commented solution if you get stuck.

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