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Adafruit PiCowbell Proto for Pico - Reset Button & STEMMA QT
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The Adafruit PiCowbell Proto is a prototyping add-on board for the Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W. It matches the Pico's footprint and sockets underneath, givi...
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The Adafruit PiCowbell Proto is a prototyping add-on board for the Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W. It matches the Pico's footprint and sockets underneath, giving you a reset button, a STEMMA QT / Qwiic I2C connector, and a grid of prototyping pads — everything you need to quickly wire up custom circuits alongside your Pico.
The centre of the board features 13 rows of 4-hole connected strips that work like a mini breadboard, plus dedicated power rails for 3.3V and ground. Every Pico pad has a duplicate hole next to it for easy solder-jumpering to your prototype circuit.
Key Features
- Reset Button – Right-angle button that sticks out the end for easy access
- STEMMA QT / Qwiic Connector – Right-angle JST SH for I2C devices on GPIO 4 (SDA) and GPIO 5 (SCL), with 4 extra breakout holes for re-assignment or additional I2C connections
- 13 Rows of 4-Hole Connected Strips – Mini breadboard-style prototyping area in the centre; traces can be cut between holes if needed
- Dedicated Power Rails – One long 3.3V strip and a ground strip near the reset button
- Duplicate Hole Pads – Every Pico pin has a matching solder-jumper hole; ground pads marked with white silkscreen
- Gold-Plated Pads – For easy, reliable soldering
- Pico-Sized Form Factor – Sits directly underneath the Pico for a compact stack
Header Options
This PiCowbell does not include headers to keep things flexible. Several configurations are available:
- Stacking Headers – Plug into a breadboard or other accessories with sockets
- Socket Headers – Plug the Pico directly in for a solid, compact connection
- Short Socket Headers – Ultra-slim pluggable design; pair with Short Plug Headers on the Pico for a skinny sandwich
- Direct Soldering – Most compact and inexpensive, but permanent
I2C Configuration
- Arduino (Philhower core) – Wire peripheral is pre-configured for GPIO 4 and 5
- CircuitPython / MicroPython – Set SDA=4 and SCL=5 in your code
Tip: No I2C pull-up resistors are included on the board, but most STEMMA QT / Qwiic breakouts have them built in.
Ideal For
- Custom circuit prototyping with Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico W
- Adding I2C sensors and breakouts via STEMMA QT
- Quick breadboard-free builds and one-off projects
- Compact wearable or embedded prototypes
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit PiCowbell Proto PCB (assembled with reset button and STEMMA QT connector)
Note: Raspberry Pi Pico and headers are sold separately. Mount the Pico on top if you want the BOOTSEL button and LED accessible.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- breakout
- A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.
- CircuitPython
- A beginner-friendly version of Python designed to run directly on microcontroller boards. If a product supports CircuitPython, you can often program it by copying code files onto the board rather than setting up a more complex toolchain.
- GPIO
- General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.
- Headers
- Rows of connector contacts on a fixed pitch (commonly 2.54 mm) used to link a board to a breadboard, jumper wires, or another board. They come as male pin headers and female socket headers; when a module ships with pre-soldered headers it can be used straight away, whereas bare pads require soldering the pins yourself.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.
- MicroPython
- A version of the Python programming language made to run on microcontrollers. It matters because it lets beginners write readable code to control LEDs, sensors, motors and displays without needing to start with lower-level languages.
- PCB
- A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board, usually rigid, with etched copper tracks that connect electronic components together without loose wiring. Components are mounted on the board and signals route between them through the copper layout.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
- STEMMA
- A plug-and-cable connection system used on some maker electronics boards to make wiring simpler. If a product uses STEMMA, you need the matching cable or connector type to plug it in without soldering.
- STEMMA QT
- A small plug-in connector system for I2C boards that lets you connect compatible sensors and controllers without soldering. It matters because it can make wiring faster and less error-prone, especially when adding several small modules to a project.
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