ARM Microcontroller Advanced Kit (STM32F0)

Our top-tier STM32 ARM development kit — built for serious embedded developers, advanced hobbyists, and engineering students who want everything in one box. Sensors, displays, serial communication, voltage regulation, crystals, and a complete passive component set — the components you need to build almost any STM32-based circuit or project, without sourcing parts from a dozen different suppliers.

This kit centers on the STM32F030 microcontroller mounted on a breakout board configured to span three breadboards. Every pin gets nine separate tie-point connections (four on one strip, five on the other) — significantly more wiring room than any standard dev board, and a far cleaner prototyping experience for circuits that use multiple peripherals at once.

Who this kit is for

• Serious hobbyists ready to take on motion-sensing, distance-sensing, and display-driven projects
• Engineers prototyping STM32 designs before committing to a custom PCB
• Students working through advanced embedded systems coursework
• Builders coming from Arduino who want a fully-loaded ARM kit instead of buying components piecemeal
• Anyone tired of running out of components mid-project

Some prior microcontroller experience is recommended — Arduino, AVR, or working through the ARM Beginners Kit first is a good foundation.

Why this kit instead of buying components separately

Sourcing the same components from Amazon and Mouser typically runs $40–80 more than this kit, requires multiple shipments, and leaves you with mismatched parts that don't always work together. Every component in this kit was selected to work cleanly with the STM32F030 and with each other — no surprises, no incompatibility issues, no wasted time.

What's included

Microcontroller and programmer:

• STM32F030 microcontroller mounted on a breakout board
• ST-Link V2 programmer
• Connection cable for the ST-Link V2

Prototyping platform:

• (3) Solderless breadboards (configured for 9-tie-point pin access)
• Solid-core jumper wire set — 140 total hookup wires in assorted lengths and colors
• (1) 40-pin male header strip

Sensors:

• ADXL345 3-axis accelerometer (I2C and SPI compatible)
• Ultrasonic range finder (distance measuring transducer)

Displays:

• 128x64 OLED display
• 20x4 LCD character display module

Serial communication:

• FTDI USB-to-Serial converter with cable (ideal for USART development and debugging)

Power and timing:

• 3.3V low-dropout regulator
• 5V 1.5A voltage regulator
• 16 MHz crystal
• 18.432 MHz crystal
• (2) 22pF 200V capacitors (for use with the crystals)

Logic and control:

• Quad buffer line driver
• (4) Push buttons
• (3) 10kΩ trimmer potentiometers
• (1) 50kΩ potentiometer

LEDs:

• (12) Green LEDs
• (2) Red LEDs

Resistors:

• (4) 1kΩ
• (4) 4.7kΩ
• (20) 330Ω

Capacitors:

• (4) 10µF electrolytic
• (4) 100µF electrolytic
• (13) 100nF / 0.1µF ceramic

What you can build

• Motion-controlled devices using the ADXL345 accelerometer
• Distance-sensing and proximity-detection circuits with the ultrasonic range finder
• Data-logging systems with OLED or 20x4 LCD output
• UART/SPI/I2C communication between the STM32 and other devices
• PWM-driven motor controllers
• Timer-based event loops and interrupt-driven inputs
• Voltage-regulated sensor circuits using the LDO and 5V regulator
• Crystal-based precision oscillator projects
• Bare-metal STM32 development for register-level learning

Pair with the textbook

Want a structured curriculum to work through? The ARM Advanced Kit + Book bundle includes Patrick Hood-Daniel's ARM Microcontrollers: Programming and Circuit Building, Volume 1 — a complete textbook designed specifically to teach STM32 development using the components in this kit. Buying them together costs less than buying them separately. Used in universities and high school engineering programs across the country.

What you'll need to supply

• A computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) for programming the STM32
• STM32CubeIDE or your preferred ARM toolchain (free, downloaded from STMicroelectronics)
• USB cable for the ST-Link V2 (some computers may require a USB-A to USB-Micro adapter)

Free YouTube tutorials

Patrick Hood-Daniel — the designer of this kit and author of ARM Microcontrollers: Programming and Circuit Building, Volume 1 — has a full library of free STM32 tutorials on YouTube using the exact components in this kit. Watch the lessons, follow along with your hardware, and learn from the same person who built the kit you're holding. Subscribe to the channel here.

Free tutorial library

Hundreds of additional STM32 tutorials, code examples, and project walkthroughs are available on our companion site, NewbieHack.com. Topics include GPIO, timers and PWM, interrupts, UART/SPI/I2C, ADC, low-power modes, and driving stepper motors directly from the STM32.

Free customer support included

Every kit purchase includes free support on what you've purchased. Stuck on a sensor wiring, debugging a peripheral configuration, or trying to get the OLED to display? Reply to your order email and we'll help you get unstuck.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How is this different from the Intermediate Kit?
The Intermediate Kit covers the core peripherals — OLED, voltage regulators, crystals, FTDI converter, and passive components for PWM/UART/SPI/I2C work. This Advanced Kit adds the ADXL345 accelerometer, ultrasonic range finder, and 20x4 LCD on top of all that. If you know you'll want to work with sensors, the price difference here is usually less than buying those components separately later.

Q: Should I get this kit or the Advanced Kit + Book bundle?
The components are identical. Get the bundle if you want a structured textbook to learn from — Patrick's book teaches STM32 development from the ground up using exactly these components, and the bundle costs less than buying both separately. Get this kit-only version if you already know embedded C or prefer to learn from free YouTube and online tutorials.

Q: What can I do with the ADXL345 accelerometer?
Tilt detection, gesture recognition, vibration monitoring, motion-activated triggers, drone/quadcopter prototyping, fall detection, and any project where you need to know how a device is being moved or oriented. It supports both I2C and SPI for flexible integration.

Q: What can I do with the ultrasonic range finder?
Distance measurement (typically 2cm–4m), proximity sensing, parking sensors, robot obstacle avoidance, level monitoring in liquids/grain bins, and any project where you need to know how far an object is from the sensor.

Q: Will this work on macOS or Linux?
Yes. STM32CubeIDE is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The ST-Link V2 programmer is recognized natively on all three.

Q: Why STM32 instead of Arduino?
The STM32F030 runs at higher clock speeds, has more peripheral options, more flexible interrupt handling, true hardware timers, and a much richer ecosystem for professional embedded work. If you're planning a career in embedded systems or want to design more sophisticated circuits, ARM is where the industry has gone.

Q: Is the ST-Link V2 a clone or genuine?
We ship the standard ST-Link V2 programmer that's universally compatible with STM32CubeIDE and OpenOCD. It works identically to the genuine ST-branded unit for the use cases in our tutorials.

Q: Do you offer educational discounts?
Yes — bulk pricing for orders of 10+ kits is available for schools, universities, and educational programs. Contact us for a quote.