LEDs & Lighting
Start Here — Which LED?
🌈 Colorful Effects? NeoPixel WS2812B. One GPIO controls hundreds of individually addressable RGB LEDs. NeoPixel Hookup →
📊 Text / Graphics? MAX7219 8x8 Matrix. Daisy-chainable, SPI, great for scrolling text.
💡 Bright Lighting? High-Power Cree LED + constant-current driver. 1-10W, needs heatsink.
| Type | Example | Control | Power | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single LED | 5mm through-hole | GPIO + resistor | 20 mA | Indicators |
| NeoPixel (WS2812B) | Adafruit NeoPixel | Single GPIO | 60 mA/LED | Addressable RGB strips |
| DotStar (APA102) | Adafruit DotStar | SPI (CLK+DATA) | 60 mA/LED | High refresh rate |
| LED Matrix | MAX7219 8x8 | SPI | 330 mA (all on) | Text/graphics displays |
| High-Power LED | Cree XM-L | MOSFET + constant current | 1–10W | Lighting, grow lights |
| LED Strip (analog) | 5050 RGB | MOSFET (3 ch) | 1A/m per color | Ambient lighting |