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A written, self-paced course for complete beginners

Build a smart home you actually understand.

Sensors, relays, a display, a card reader, and voice control — wired and programmed by you on an ESP8266 board, starting from what a circuit is.

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$19.90One-time payment — no subscription.

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  1. NodeMCU ESP8266 board
  2. 16x2 display
  3. Relay
  4. Light sensor (LDR)
  5. Temperature sensor (NTC thermistor)

The final build, as a block drawing. Not a wiring diagram.

The build path

From what a circuit is to voice control.

Every module ends with something on your desk that works — not just a chapter you read.

On your desk after it

  1. Module 01

    Your parts and your bench

    Every part identified, a breadboard you can read, and the safety rules

  2. Module 02

    Electricity you can useKey module

    Voltage, current, resistance and power — enough to size a part yourself

  3. Module 03

    The parts in your kit

    Read a resistor, place a capacitor, and never burn an LED

  4. Module 04

    Meet the NodeMCU

    Your board programmed over USB and scanning the Wi-Fi around you

  5. Module 05

    Inputs and outputs

    A knob, a button and an LED under your program's control

  6. Module 06

    Sensing the room

    A light that turns on when it gets dark, and a working thermometer

  7. Module 07

    Switching and showing

    Relays that switch real loads, and readings on a screen

  8. Module 08

    Remotes, clocks and cards

    An infrared remote, a real-time clock and an RFID door key

  9. Module 09

    The connected home

    “Alexa, turn on the lamp” — answered by a board you built

On your bench

The parts the course uses.

  • NodeMCU ESP8266 board

  • Breadboard and jumper wires

  • Resistors

  • LEDs

  • Push buttons

  • Potentiometer and trimmer

  • Capacitors

  • Diodes

  • Light sensor (LDR)

  • NTC thermistor

  • 4-channel relay module

  • 16x2 LCD

  • Infrared receiver and remote

  • DS1307 clock module

  • RC522 RFID reader with card and key fob

  • Active buzzer

  • USB data cable

  • Small screwdriver

  • MultimeterOptional

The parts are not included in the course price; you buy them yourself.

Anatomy of a lesson

Four parts, in every build.

Most smart-home guides hand you a sketch to paste and a wiring photo to copy. This one starts with why a resistor is there, so when something doesn't work — and something always doesn't — you can find it yourself.

ExcerptModule 05Lesson 2

A button and an LED

DoneFromTo
Button, one legD1
Button, the leg at the opposite cornerGND rail
10 kΩ resistor, one legD1
10 kΩ resistor, other leg3V3 rail

2 of 4 rows checked

// Lesson 5.2 — LED on while the button is held
const int BUTTON_PIN = D1;
const int LED_PIN = D5;

void setup() {
  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN, INPUT);
  pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN) == LOW) {
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
  } else {
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
  }
}

Checkpoint

The LED is on while the button is held and off when you let go.

Sign-offDone

If it didn't work

The LED flickers or glows when my hand comes near. The input is floating. With the first sketch, the 10 kΩ resistor is missing or is not in the same column as the button leg wired to D1.

Read a full lesson, free

Pricing

Pay once. Keep it for life.

Lifetime access

$19.90

One-time payment — no subscription.

What's included

  • Every module and every lesson, self-paced
  • Every future lesson and update
  • Access with no expiration date
  • 7-day money-back guarantee

7-day money-back guarantee — refund it yourself, from your account page.

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By buying, you agree to the Terms, the Refund Policy and the Privacy Policy.

No subscription, no tiers, no upsells. One payment covers every lesson and every update I publish. The electronic parts are not included: you buy them yourself, and Lesson 2 of Module 1 lists what to get.

Questions

What you're probably wondering.

  • I've never touched electronics or written code. Can I keep up?

    That is the starting point the course assumes. The first three modules cover electricity and the parts themselves before the board is ever plugged in, and the programming starts with a blinking light.

  • Are the lessons videos?

    No. There are no videos and no live classes. Every lesson is written step by step, with wiring tables, diagrams, and the code right there to copy — so you move at your own speed and never scrub through a video looking for one connection.

  • What parts do I have to buy?

    The parts are not included in the course price; you buy them yourself. You need a NodeMCU ESP8266 board, a breadboard, jumper wires, a light sensor (LDR), a temperature sensor (NTC thermistor), a 4-channel relay module, a 16x2 LCD, an infrared receiver and remote, a DS1307 clock module, an RC522 RFID reader, and a handful of small parts: resistors, LEDs, capacitors, a push button, a potentiometer, and a buzzer. All of them are generic and sold by many stores, separately or bundled. Prices vary too much to quote one here. The complete list, with what to look for in each part, is Lesson 2 of Module 1.

  • What else do I need?

    A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux with a USB port, and a USB data cable that fits your board. The programming software, the Arduino IDE, is free. For the last module you also need a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network — the ESP8266 does not connect to 5 GHz networks — plus the Alexa app and an account at Sinric Pro, a third-party cloud service. As of October 2026 its free plan covers three devices, which is what the lessons use; its own pricing page has the current terms.

  • Do I need to solder?

    Not if you buy the display and the RFID reader with their header pins already soldered on. Both are often sold with the pins loose in the bag, and those would need soldering. The parts list in Lesson 2 of Module 1 says what to look for. Everything else plugs into the breadboard.

  • Will I be working with wall power?

    Only if you choose to. Every required build runs on the 5 volts from a USB port. One lesson in Module 7 puts a relay in line with a plug-in lamp on household voltage. It is optional and marked as optional, and nothing after it depends on it — the relay lessons before it switch LEDs instead. Household voltage can injure or kill. If you have any doubt, skip that lesson.

  • How much time does it take?

    About 22 hours of lessons in total, across 40 lessons. That is reading and building time as estimated lesson by lesson; a circuit that doesn't work the first time adds to it. It's self-paced, so there's no deadline, and your access doesn't expire.

  • Is this a subscription?

    No recurring charges, ever. You pay once and get lifetime access to the course, including every future update.

  • What if it's not for me?

    You're covered by a 7-day money-back guarantee. Read the first modules; if it's not what you expected, refund it yourself with the button on your account page within 7 days and you get the full course price back — no questions. Once the refund goes through, your account loses access to the course. The guarantee covers what you paid for the course, not parts you bought from a store.

  • How do I get help?

    For your account, access, or payment, everything is on the Support page: how to reach me, where to log in, what to do if you forget your password, and how refunds work. For a circuit that isn't working, the lessons have an “If it didn't work” section, and the course collects all of them in one searchable index. The course does not include one-on-one help with your build.

    Go to the Support page

Start with a breadboard. Finish with voice control.

By buying, you agree to the Terms, the Refund Policy and the Privacy Policy.