What are Jellybean electronic components?

Education
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The educator’s task is challenging. For example, which components should you use in your introductory labs? On one hand, we want students to use the latest trending components. On the other, we need reliable components upon which to build lesson plans. Clear documentation is prioritized in the form of textbooks, datasheets, and application notes.

Your best bet is to use jellybean components. By definition, these jellybean components are well-established parts that have stood the test of time. They are popular, likely manufactured by multiple suppliers, often with derivatives for application-specific needs. Like jellybeans in a jar, you can reach in and select your favorite manufacturer and variations. The LM358 as pictured in Figure 1, is a prime example, DigiKey offers this gem from 10 different manufacturers, with packaging ranging from the classic metal can all the way to the latest BGA.

Figure 1: Image of the jellybean LM358 on a breadboard.
Figure 1: Image of the jellybean LM358 on a breadboard.793×595 66.4 KB

Figure 1: Image of the jellybean LM358 on a breadboard.

Tech Tip: As a rule, datasheets from 20 or 30 years ago were simpler. This can be advantageous to students in your introductory classes. It helps set a foundation, as students can locate the critical information without getting lost in a forest of specifications.

Formal definition of Jellybean Semiconductors

A formal definition of jellybean components is helpful to differentiate these semiconductors. Key characteristics include:

  • Multi-source production with competitive pricing: To classify as jellybean, at least 5 manufacturers offer the original or variants of the component. This results in competitive pricing and operates as a hedge against supply chain disruptions, ensuring a continued availability.

  • Legacy and Longevity: Jellybean components have stood the test of time, with continued production for at least 40 years.

  • High Stock levels at DigiKey: Since this is a DigiKey TechForum, post, we can be biased and set a threshold of 1,000,000 routinely stocked DigiKey components clause (inclusive of variants, marketplace, and complementary devices).

  • Education: The components are often included in kits and educational labs. The jellybean components are the building blocks of electronics education. Most jellybean components are referenced in the famous Horowitz and Hill “Art of Electronics” textbook - silver and gold.

Tech Tip: The definition of jellybean changes over time. For example, the classic 2N2222 (TO-18 can) and 2N3055 (TO-3) were once very popular in the 1970s to the 1990s. These have largely been replaced with their plastic counterparts including the 2N3904 and the TIP35 variants. Note that the 2N2222ABU and the 2N3055G are still available if you wish to reproduce those classic 1970’s projects.

How to locate Jellybean Components

DigiKey’s search tools are built to quickly find the needle in the haystack. This optimization to locate a specific part, it can be challenging to locate the family of jellybean components. The risk is that we focus on the first part we see, often excluding useful variants.

One effective search method is to use keyword pairs. The first keyword is the truncated base part number. The second keyword is a descriptor. Here are a few examples:

  • “2222 BJT” for variants of the classic 2N2222 transistor

  • “2N700 MOSFET” for variants of the 2N7000 MOSFET (the truncation captures both 2N7000 and 2N7002)

  • “358 Op Amp” for variants of the LM358 op amps

Note that the search isn’t perfectly clean. Since we have cast a wide net, we occasionally see outliers.

Jellybean Components for Your Toolkit

The following list includes the jellybean components that are in my toolkit. This list is not exhaustive but will get you started in electronics. You can help by adding your favorite components in the comments section.

Jellybean Diodes

  • 1N4148: This is a small signal diode capable of conducting about 150 mA.

  • 1N4002: The 1N400X family parts are capable of conducting up to 1A (continuous) with the ability to withstand reverse voltages from 50 (1N4001) to 1000 (1N4007) VDC.

Jellybean MOSFETS

Jellybean Transistors

Jellybean Op Amp

  • LM358P: This inexpensive part provides an excellent starting point for many op-amp experiments. With two op amps in a single package, the LM358 is more convenient than the largely displaced classic LM741.

Other

  • 555 timer: This is one of the must-have devices to explore RC time constants.

  • 7805 This must-have component is used to explore power and circuit efficiency.

Alternative Definition of the Jellybean Term

Up until this point, we have assumed that the term Jellybean encompasses the base product number. For example, all “jellybean LM358” parts include the LM358 base number somewhere within a longer part number. We alluded to this earlier with the can type LM358H/NOPB and the BGA LM358TP/NOPB derivatives.

There is a different way to look at this, some people would interpret LM358 as general descriptor for a general-purpose twin op amp with up to +/- 10 VDC rails, GBW about 500 kHz, and capable of providing about 20 mA. This comes with an understanding that the chosen device operate in a non-critical circuit.

With this definition, we could think of the LM358 base part number as an attractor or central reference) from which we can perform a reverse part number lookup as shown in Figure 2. In this example, we select active, general purpose, twin, and through hole. This returns 354 items. Sorting low cost, we find the TAEJIN LM358GN and the TAEJIN LM4558N.

I will leave it to you to decide if both of these low-cost parts qualify as LM358 using the “base part” definition and the more liberal “attractor” definition. I will also leave it to you do determine the boundaries that would include or exclude a given part with the jellybean central attractor definition.

Figure 2: Reverse lookup for devices attracted to the LM358.
Figure 2: Reverse lookup for devices attracted to the LM358.975×697 104 KB

Figure 2: Reverse lookup for devices attracted to the LM358.

Parting Thoughts

Jellybean components are the heart of electronics education. They are readily available from multiple manufacturers. They are breadboard-friendly, with good documentation. Most are over 30 years old and likely to be manufactured for many years to come. Also, many jellybean components are already in your textbooks and lab manuals. A classic example is the Horowitz and Hill Art of Electronics.

Call to Action: My list is incomplete, please add your favorite jellybeans in the comments section.

Best wishes,

APDahlen

P.S. You could ask the AI to expand the list.

About this author

Aaron Dahlen, LCDR USCG (Ret.), serves as an application engineer at DigiKey. He has a unique electronics and automation foundation built over a 27-year military career as a technician and engineer which was further enhanced by 12 years of teaching (interwoven). With an MSEE degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato, Dahlen has taught in an ABET-accredited EE program, served as the program coordinator for an EET program, and taught component-level repair to military electronics technicians. Dahlen has returned to his Northern Minnesota home and thoroughly enjoys researching and writing articles such as this.

1 Like
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AP’s kit is quite comprehensive. Many legendary parts which may still be stocked a hundred years from here.

One part I’d add is 4093, quad schmitt-input NAND gates. It is surprisingly versatile and can replace e.g 555 in most applications. Have been using it a lot in the past.

Cheers, heke

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Thank you, @heke!