Arduino is an open-source hardware and software platform for building electronics projects. It uses a simple C++-based programming language and consists of a microcontroller board and IDE software. The Arduino platform is popular for beginners due to its ease of use - it can be programmed via USB without additional hardware. It was created in 2003 by students in Italy to provide a low-cost alternative for learning electronics and programming. The core components of an Arduino board include a microcontroller, analog and digital pins, power supply, and USB interface.