Breadboard- Temporary, no soldering required

This is a way of making a temporary circuit, for testing purposes or to try out an idea. No soldering is required and all the components can be re-used afterwards. It is easy to change connections and replace components. Almost all the Electronics Club projects started life on a breadboard to check that the circuit worked as intended.

Stripboard-Permanent, soldered

Stripboard has parallel strips of copper track on one side. The strips are 0.1" (2.54mm) apart and there are holes every 0.1" (2.54mm). Stripboard requires no special preparation other than cutting to size. It can be cut with a junior hacksaw, or simply snap it along the lines of holes by putting it over the edge of a bench or table and pushing hard.

Printed circuit board- Permanent, soldered

Printed circuit boards have copper tracks connecting the holes where the components are placed. They are designed especially for each circuit and make construction very easy. However, producing the PCB requires special equipment so this method is not recommended if you are a beginner unless the PCB is provided for you.