Dupont Jumper Wires: The Beginner’s Best Friend

Quick connectors for breadboards, modules, and Arduino pins — no soldering required.

💡 TL;DR: Dupont jumper wires are reusable cables with pin or socket ends. Pick M-M for breadboard-to-breadboard, M-F for pin-to-socket, and F-F for module headers. Keep them short and organized for clean signals.

🔌 What is a “Dupont” wire?

“Dupont” jumper wires are small-gauge stranded wires terminated with 2.54 mm (0.1″) crimp connectors. They plug into breadboards, Arduino headers, and sensor modules to make temporary circuits fast.

🧩 End types

Male–Male (M–M)
Best for breadboard row to row, or Arduino pin to breadboard.

Male–Female (M–F)
Great for Arduino pin to a module’s female header.

Female–Female (F–F)
Ideal for module to module or to shield headers.

📏 Length & gauge tips

✔ Keep leads as short as practical to reduce noise.
✔ Typical gauge is 26–28 AWG stranded; gentle bends only.
✔ Use color-coding conventions: red = VCC, black = GND, yellow/blue/white = signals.

🧭 Polarity & headers

Dupont housings have no keying — always double‑check VCC, GND, and signal labels before plugging in. For multi‑wire runs, group them in 3‑pin housings (e.g., GND–VCC–SIG) to reduce mistakes.

🧰 Reliability tricks

Test continuity if a connection seems flaky.
Prefer solid breadboards and fresh wires for analog sensors.
For semi‑permanent builds, switch to crimped housings or soldered headers.