withdiode.com
WithDiode.com is the home of Diode, a visual circuit simulator that made learning electronics easy, but its current availability is uncertain.
What is WithDiode.com?
WithDiode.com presents Diode as a tool to “build, program, and simulate hardware” inside a web browser (Diode).
The project started as a free way to build electronic circuits without buying parts or installing large programs.
Its main screen looks like a real workbench instead of a flat circuit drawing.
Users place wires and electronic parts on a virtual breadboard, then run the circuit to see what happens.
The founder introduced Diode in 2022 as a new startup for building, testing, and sharing hardware projects online (Reddit launch post).
What could people build with Diode?
Diode included common parts such as batteries, resistors, capacitors, LEDs, switches, transistors, motors, and 555 timer chips.
It also supported the Arduino Uno, so users could write code and test how that code controlled a virtual circuit.
A beginner could build a blinking LED, traffic light, transistor switch, or simple timer without touching real hardware.
The 3D parts helped users learn where each wire and component leg should go.
This visual approach matters because a correct circuit drawing can still fail when a beginner puts a real part into the wrong breadboard hole.
Diode also showed “magic smoke” when a battery was shorted, which turned a common safety mistake into a clear and memorable lesson (Hacker News discussion).
Why did WithDiode become popular?
Diode removed several barriers at the same time.
It was free, ran in a browser, looked friendly, and did not require a box of electronic parts.
That made it useful for students working at home and schools where teachers could not install new software.
Its realistic breadboard also connected code with physical electronics better than a plain code editor.
A student shared in 2026 that the site made circuit and microprocessor lab work easier by helping them see connections and project ideas (LinkedIn user report).
The site later reached the front page of Hacker News, where its launch discussion earned hundreds of points and more than 100 comments (Hacker News).
What were the main limits?
Diode was strongest as a learning tool, not as a full engineering system.
A realistic 3D breadboard can become crowded when a circuit has many wires.
Experienced engineers often prefer a clean schematic because standard symbols make the purpose of each circuit section easier to read.
Diode also did not replace professional tools used for detailed analog tests, board layout, manufacturing checks, or exact part models.
One experienced user described the 3D view as fun but less practical than a schematic for serious work (Hacker News discussion).
The best use was learning, showing an idea, or checking a small circuit before building it with real parts.
Is WithDiode.com still working?
The domain still returns a Diode-branded web page, but several recent reports say the working simulator has been unavailable since May 2026.
A 2026 review says the site went offline after receiving fresh attention on Hacker News and had no announced return date (Automatismos Mundo review).
This fits an older statement discussed by users that development had stopped and the site was only being kept online for a time (Hacker News discussion).
Visitors should therefore avoid depending on WithDiode for a class, saved project, or important deadline until they confirm that creating and running a circuit works in their browser.
The lack of a clear status page, active roadmap, and recent official update is the biggest concern.
Who should still study WithDiode?
Teachers and product makers should study WithDiode because it showed how good visual design can make a hard subject feel safe.
Its best idea was not just putting a circuit simulator online.
Its real strength was joining realistic parts, live behavior, code, and easy sharing in one simple place.
That model helps a child understand that software can make a real LED light up, while also teaching where the wire must go.
WithDiode remains a strong example of beginner-friendly electronics design, even if the original service does not return.
New users, however, should treat it as an influential project first and a dependable working tool only after testing the live simulator themselves.