Good old NeoPixels, or more generally, programmable RGB LEDs — if Arduino is the “brains” of the maker movement, then you could say that LEDs are the “shiny objects” that lure people into this pursuit. For many, making a physical LED blink with a development board is in programming for the physical world, but moving on to multi-colored projects can take things to a whole new level!
However, combining LED strips (if you decide on that format) can be challenging. There are connectors available that snap onto the ends, but if spacing and aesthetics are crucial this gets a bit hairy. Soldering is your best bet.
What if you want to make a 90° corner? The solder contacts won’t line up, and you’ll need to resort to jumper wires or you’ll need a clever solution. For this purpose, the NeoPixel corner was created. They take care of attaching strip sections at 90°, and have an LED module built-in so that your design doesn’t miss a corner light or interrupt the regular spacing of the lights. Sure, you’ll still have to solder your strips together, but at least you don’t have to solder and bend for potentially marginal results!
