Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs - light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a Twitter message - and turn it into an output - activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online. You can tell your board what to do by sending a set of instructions to the micro controller on the board. To do so you use the Arduino programming language that is based on Wiring, and the Arduino Software, based on processing.