Following Ben Eater? Build an 8-bit computer in your browser
Ben Eater's celebrated video series builds an 8-bit computer by hand on breadboards from 7400-series logic chips: a clock, registers, an ALU, RAM, a program counter, and control logic, all wired up piece by piece. If that is what brought you here, digiwleea is a free, in-browser alternative with a different angle: you build a computer from the transistor up.
What Ben Eater's breadboard computer is good at
Ben Eater's series is one of the best ways to truly understand a computer, and wiring real chips on a breadboard is deeply satisfying. If you love that hands-on, build-it-yourself spirit, you are exactly who digiwleea is for. (digiwleea is an independent project, not affiliated with Ben Eater.)
How digiwleea is different
digiwleea is the same idea without the breadboards, chips, or loose wires: you build every part in the browser, watch the signals settle live, and get instant truth-table verification. It goes a level deeper than the 7400 chips, too, you build the gates themselves from CMOS transistors, then compose them up through adders, registers, an ALU, RAM, a program counter and control logic into a working 8-bit CPU, following a guided course with an AI tutor. A natural companion to follow along with, or to prototype an idea before you touch a breadboard.
| Ben Eater's breadboard computer | digiwleea | |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | Physical breadboards + 7400 chips | Browser, drag-and-wire |
| Smallest building block | 7400-series logic ICs | CMOS transistors (build the gates too) |
| Cost to start | Chips, breadboards, wires, tools | Free, nothing to buy or install |
| Fixing a mistake | Rewire by hand, debug with a meter | Undo, live sim, instant check |
| Guided path + AI tutor | Follow the videos | 30+ level course + Wleea |
No sign-up is needed to start: open the lab and place your first transistor, or read the free theory course. The account (and the AI tutor) are optional.
See for yourself: build a logic gate from transistors in the simulator, then follow the path from sand to an 8-bit CPU.
Open the digiwleea lab →Frequently asked
Is digiwleea a good Ben Eater's breadboard computer alternative?
Yes, if you want to understand digital logic from the ground up. digiwleea is a free, in-browser simulator and 30+ level course where you build every gate from CMOS transistors and work up to a real 8-bit CPU, with an AI tutor to help.
Is digiwleea free?
The sandbox lab and the first act of the course are free and need no sign-up. An optional account adds the AI tutor and cross-device sync; the full course and tutor are a one-time unlock plus an optional subscription.
Do I need to install anything?
No. digiwleea runs entirely in your browser, on desktop or mobile, and works offline once loaded.