Summary
Jellybean components have stood the test of time. Engineers select them because they work, are low cost, and easy to source. The list includes common diodes, transistors, and op-amps.
Last updated: 25 November, 2025
The usual jellybeans are listed below.
Definition of Jellybean Semiconductors
It’s a jellybean if it can clear most of these bars:
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Multi-source production with competitive pricing: Set the bar at five manufacturers minimum that offer base-with-variants. This is an essential requirement for supply chain stability.
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Legacy and Longevity: In continuous production for over 40 years.
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High Stock levels at DigiKey: Since this is a TechForum post, we can be biased and set a threshold of 1,000,000 routinely stocked components, including base-with-variants, at DigiKey.
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Education: Go-to parts for textbooks and labs including the famous Horowitz and Hill “Art of Electronics.”
Figure 1: Colorful jellybeans mixed with transistors.
Tech Tip: Be careful with terminology, specifications, and substitutions. Without thinking, we carelessly interchange components such as a TIP3055 for the classic 2N3055 (TO-3).
Stop!
Consult the datasheet and verify the parameters that are critical for your application. Your specific requirements may fall outside the functional envelope.
One Base to Many Variant Pattern
Most jellybeans follow a base-with-variant pattern. The TO-92 packaged 2N3904 transistor (JEDEC base) is an excellent example. The root is 75 years old. Today, hundreds of variants are available from DigiKey including lead-free, SOT-23 surface mount, and even quad arrays.
For clarity, we will use the term variant to describe closely related components that share an overlapping functional envelope.
How to locate Jellybean Components at DigiKey
DigiKey’s search tools are built to quickly find the needle in the haystack. This singular optimization makes it challenging to locate the family of jellybean components. We risk focusing on the base part at the exclusion of the variants. As an example, a search for 2N3904 returns about 50 items while a more generic search returns over 250 results.
How to expand a DigiKey search?
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:
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“3904 BJT” for variants of the classic 2N3904 transistor
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“2N700 MOSFET” for variants of the 2N7000 MOSFET (the truncation captures both 2N7000 and 2N7002)
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“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. If in doubt, consult the datasheet.
Tech Tip: The list of jellybean parts changes over time. For example, the metal can 2N2222 (TO-18) and 2N3055 (TO-3) parts from the 1970s are out. The silicon lineage (functional envelope) is carried forward by less costly SOT-23 and TO-247 packaged relatives.
Note that the 2N2222ABU and the 2N3055G are still available if you wish to reproduce those classic 1970s projects.
List of Jellybean Semiconductors
This section lists jellybean components available from DigiKey. Follow the links to learn more about the individual family members.
Jellybean Transistors
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Honorable mention: BD139 (NPN) / BD140 (PNP): These TO-126 devices may not qualify for jellybean status, but they are handy for small audio drivers or headphone amplifier.
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TIP41 (NPN) / TIP42 (PNP): These TO-220 packaged parts allow for experiments involving moderate current. You can use a paperclip heatsink to keep your prototype cool.
Jellybean Diodes
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1N4148: This is a small-signal diode capable of conducting about 150 mA (design maximum).
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1N4001 to 1N4007 family: 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
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IRF510 This TO-220 packaged MOSFET provides a convenient starting place.
Jellybean Voltage Regulators
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7805 This must-have component is used to explore power and circuit efficiency.
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. But watch out as the LM358 has an asymmetric output that can supply about 20 mA but only sink 50 uA. It needs a hefty pull-down resistor or constant current source for linear operation.
Other
- 555 timer: This is one of the must-have devices to explore RC time constants.
Alternative Definition for Jellybean Components
We have assumed jellybean variants contain the base product number such as 3904 or 358. We would recognize the base 358 (can type) and a modern part like the LM358TP/NOPB (BGA) as variants (2nd cousins).
We could interpret LM358 as a general-purpose twin op-amp with +/- 10 VDC rails, GBW of 500 kHz, and capable of sourcing about 20 mA. This comes with an understanding that the chosen device operates in a non-critical circuit.
Define Jellybean as an Attractor
For our new definition, we view the LM358 base as an attractor or central reference. Using this yardstick, we 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 by 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. You determine the boundaries that would include or exclude a given part for your application.
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
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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, completing a decades-long journey that began as a search for capacitors. Read his story here.