learning-garden/sources/frc/learning-resources.md

---
type: training-material
source: Chief Delphi thread + Spectrum 3847
date: 2026-05-03
growth: seed
---

# FRC Learning Resources

Curated from community recommendations and the Chief Delphi thread on best FRC learning resources.

---

## Official Documentation

### FRC Docs
**https://frc-docs.readthedocs.io/en/develop**

The official FIRST Robotics Competition documentation. Covers:
- Robot hardware and wiring
- WPILib programming
- Control system setup
- Game manual references

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## Team Resources

### Spectrum 3847 — Design Concepts Presentation
**Google Slides:** https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1whyvTc-HmHIQoMQok2rVF6ahzuzkDI1A4BrMUjpHwMc/edit

**Topics covered:**
- History of design contests (Paper Airplane, Auto Racing, MIT 2.70)
- Woodie Flowers and the origins of competitive robotics
- What FIRST Robotics is about
- The Compass Alliance philosophy
- Things you should learn: CAD, shop tools, 3D printing, electronics, programming, communication
- Design is a Passionate Process (Alexander Slocum)
- Karthik's TED Talk on team leadership

### The Compass Alliance
**https://www.thecompassalliance.org**

A team-driven resource hub. (Note: site may have access issues)

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## Community Resources

### Chief Delphi Forum
**https://www.chiefdelphi.com/**

The primary community forum for FRC. Where:
- Teams share designs and advice
- Mentors discuss best practices
- Students ask technical questions
- Alumni stay connected

**Also useful for:** Monitoring FRC trends and historical data. Good source to check periodically for new techniques, game history, and team innovations.

> **MrC Monitoring:** Focused Chief Delphi sweeps January–March (FRC build season) to catch emerging trends and game-specific discussions.

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## Key Learning Areas

| Area | Resource |
|------|----------|
| Robot wiring | FRC Docs + 2890 Electrical L1 slides |
| Programming | FRC Docs + WPILib |
| CAD / Design | Spectrum 3847 presentation |
| Team culture | Spectrum 3847, Woodie Flowers talks |
| Mechanical | 2890 Mechanical L1-L3 slides |

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## For 2890 Students

Start with the 2890 training slides in this wiki. Use these external resources to supplement:

1. **Electrical track** → FRC Docs for wiring reference
2. **Programming track** → FRC Docs for WPILib
3. **Design/Mechanical** → Spectrum 3847 presentation
4. **Team culture** → Karthik's TED Talk (search online)