Breadboards are great for testing out electronics projects, but the end result may well look messy, often featuring a spaghetti-like tangle of jumper wires. Not only that, but such a setup isn’t all that portable, as some loose wires or resistors could easily fall out if you dare to move it. If you’re looking to make your project more permanent and practical, you’ll want to solder the components to a prototyping board like this one.

The full article can be found in The MagPi 46 and was written by Phil King

The subject of a successful KickStarter campaign, the ProtoZero is the brainchild or Richard Saville, author of the popular Average Man vs Raspberry Pi blog. Resembling the little brother of his previous ProtoPal prototyping board, it’s made of perfboard and is designed to match the dimensions of the Pi Zero perfectly, although it can also be used on any other 40-pin model, including the Pi 3, 2, A+, and B+. While it is can not technically be described as a HAT, as it lacks an EEPROM, the ProtoZero does sit neatly on top of the Pi’s GPIO pins, for which it has two corresponding rows of connector holes with helpful labels. The remaining 154 holes – likewise featuring high-quality ENIG (electroless nickel immersion gold) PCB plating – are arranged in printed lanes of three or four. Components may be soldered to the front or (similarly labelled) rear, if you want to hide unsightly wires and suchlike. Example project ideas include an LED array, temperature monitor, and four-character digital display, but the only limit is your imagination.

Note that since the ProtoZero comes in kit form, you’ll first need to solder the supplied 40-pin GPIO header to the board, but this is no more difficult than doing so for the Pi Zero itself – and you’ll be soldering components to it anyhow. One advantage, as well as reduced cost, is that you may elect to use a stacking header (not supplied) instead, enabling you to stack multiple ProtoZeros and/or HATs.

While some veteran electronics project makers may prefer to create their own custommade prototyping boards from inexpensive perfboard, the ProtoZero is ideal for lessexperienced users who want to take their projects one step up from the breadboard. With its perfectly rounded edges and matching form factor, it also gives a professional look to Pi Zero projects.