Prototype board types

If you are just starting to take an interest in to electronics, this is good things to get to know what type of prototyping boards can be used. There can be four types of prototype boards:

• Solderless breadboard- where connections are made by using jumpers;

• Soldered protoboard – uses soldered jumpers and drilled holes;

• Wire wrap boards – special soldered breadboard or wire wrap board;

• Etched circuit board- requires drawing and etching with chemicals.

What type of proto-board to choose depends of what type if schematic you are prototyping. For instance it is hard to work with SMT elements using breadboard, but this problema can be solved when using soldered proto-board. Soldered protobord takes more time to prepare comparing to solderless where connections are done by using jumpers. In solderless boards it is easy to repair mistakes.

Personally I like breadboards for quick non complex prototyping. If my design is more complex and includes SMT elements then I prefer to use etched boards.