Independent Communities for Hardware

FAQ

What are hardware communities?

Communities for hardware engineers, electronics hobbyists, and embedded systems developers. Discord and Reddit host communities for Arduino, Raspberry Pi, PCB design, and DIY electronics, alongside more professional spaces for engineers working on commercial hardware products.

How many Hardware independent communities are listed on Hive Index?

Hive Index lists 9 Hardware independent communities on Independent Platforms. Most listings with size data are large (11%) or gigantic (11%). We only have a handful of listings so far, so treat these numbers as directional. The main Hardware topic page covers every platform we track for this topic.

What features do these independent communities include?

Forum is the most common (100%). Others that show up often include online/offline events. Use the feature filters above the list to narrow results.

Are there free hardware independent communities?

8 of 9 (89%) are free to join. The rest require payment, an application, or both.

Which hardware independent communities are most popular on Hive Index?

On Hive Index, the default Popular sort surfaces Chief Delphi, Open Compute Project, Hackster, and Hackaday first. Popularity reflects visitor interest in communities on the site, not a universal quality score. Use the sort menu for Ratings, Largest, or Newest.

How does Hive Index collect and rank listings?

Listings are submitted by community builders and researchers, reviewed for topic relevance, and updated with platform, feature, member, review, and traffic data where available. Member counts are approximate. Popular reflects visitor interest in communities on the site, with richer profiles breaking ties. Ratings, Largest, and Newest use review scores, reported member counts, and listing age instead.

When was this list last updated?

This page was last updated 6/8/2026, based on the most recent change to the topic or its listings. We refresh entries when communities are submitted, claimed, or reviewed, and we update member counts, features, and traffic data on an ongoing basis.