hardwarehez

Hardwarehez is a decentralized platform and community focused on open hardware design, hardware hacking, and hands-on electronics education. It brings together designers, engineers, educators, and hobbyists to publish, discuss, test, and improve hardware projects, ranging from consumer devices to educational kits and modular electronics platforms.

Origin and name: The term combines "hardware" with a community-oriented suffix, signaling an inclusive space for collaboration and learning. Knowledge is shared through online repositories, discussion forums, and local meetups, with a preference for open licenses and transparent development processes.

Scope and practices: Hardwarehez promotes open hardware principles, favoring designs released under open licenses such as CERN OHL or permissive equivalents, with clear bills of materials and versioned documentation. Projects emphasize modularity, interoperability, and affordability to facilitate learning and replication.

Activities: The platform hosts design files, documentation, tutorials, and repair guides; it supports collaborative projects, hackathons, and repair cafés, and often connects with makerspaces and education programs.

Impact and governance: It supports STEM education, maker culture, and device longevity by enabling reuse and adaptation. Governance is typically volunteer-driven, with community guidelines and peer review to maintain quality and safety; challenges include quality assurance, safety considerations, and sustaining long-term participation.

See also: Open hardware, CERN Open Hardware Licence, OSHWA.