Learn and test Arduino tutorial for first timer

I'm an Electronics and Communications Engineer graduate, but I never had given the chance to use my graduate degree in my job because I chose the other career path, which is the Information Technology.  That's why I mostly forgot about electronics.
Arduino is the best way to learn electronics and programming.  Learning Arduino is simple and fun, and I'm now more interested to learn Electronics than before. Even if you have zero knowledge in electronics, you may still learn Arduino.
Today, we will explore on how to configure and test the Arduino to work. We are going to use the Blink example provided in the Arduino Web Editor. 
First, we need some materials for this exercise. We need the following items and the purpose of these items:
​1. USB cable for Arduino (typically used for printer cable). To connect the Arduino to your desktop machine.
2. Breadboard -  Use to hold and test the electronic components/parts.
3. Small wires - For connection between power source and the components.
4. Arduino Uno or other Arduino Compatible - Microcontroller board that will accept a program coming from our desktop machine.
5. Connecting wires - Use for the connection between Arduino board and breadboard.
6. Resistor (220 ohms value) - Use to prevent LED to be busted.
7. LED - To produce light.
See below for the actual components to be used.

Procedure 1. Connecting the Arduino to PC.
Place the end of the Arduino USB Cable to the Arduino cable port, and the other end of the Arduino USB Cable to the USB of your desktop machine.

Procedure 2. Go to Arduino Web Editor.
Go to Arduino website and choose the online Arduino software (See my previous blog article - Online Arduino Web Editor).
Select the Arduino Web Editor to start launching the online IDE. 
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Procedure 3. Install the Arduino Plug-in.
Remember my previous plug-in that when the Web Editor did not find any connection to your Arduino, there's a dialog box appears to remind you. Just click that one to proceed. On the figure shown, is the start of installing the Arduino plug-in to recognize your Arduino board and setup the correct port where your Arduino is connected.

Just click all the Next button ( accept all the default values). See the figure for the License Agreement page.

Once the plugin was installed, there's a message that will tell if the setup is successful or not. The figure shows the plugin was correctly installed

Procedure 4. Verify the Arduino board and port.
When you close the dialog box for installing the plugin, it will go back to the Web editor, if the plugin is successfully installed, you will notice the content of the arduino board name and port for your arduino board is already inserted (see the figure for example)  

Procedure 5. Upload the Blink Code Example.
To determine if we could successfully display a blinking built-in LED in Arduino board, let us use the Blink sketch code example. On the right panel, click the Examples -> Built In tab -> Blink item.  Once done, the code will automatically load to the Web Editor. See the figure below for this example.
Click the upload button (with the right-arrow icon) to upload the blink code to the Arduino board.
Note: Make sure that your Arduino board is connected to your desktop machine and the configuration in the web editor is setup properly to the Arduino board and the port used by your Arduino.

If the code is successfully uploaded to the Arduino board, you should see a blinking LED in your Arduino board.
See figure for this example.
Note: I'm using a Funduino board, an Arduino compatible board.

 Procedure 6. Use External LED component for Blink Code Example
Connect all the wirings and LED component as shown below. Make sure you properly connect all the wiring.  LED has polarity so make sure you do the right connection. The ground pin of the Arduino should be connected directly to the short leg of LED (negative side). The Pin 13 of Arduino should be connected to the 220 ohm resistor, in which the other side of resistor is connected to the long leg of LED (positive side).  
Note:

• Do not try to light up the LED without adding the resistor in a series with LED, or else it will be busted.
• LED will not light up if the LED legs are not properly set.Try to reverse the legs of the LED if the LED does not work.

As shown, the external LED is blinking at the same time, the built-in LED of the Arduino is also blinking.  If ever your LED did not blink, there is a high probability that the polarity of the legs of LED is reversed, or your LED is busted. You may try to interchange the leg position of the LED.  If it still not work, replace the LED and double check the wiring connection.
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Congrats! That's the start of our adventure and journey to Arduino world. We will be having more exploration, discovery, discussions, lessons and examples to our future articles.