START HERE

Learn the process.
Build better robots.

Everything we know about V5RC engineering, in one place — organized as a pathway from your first day to your first championship. Pick where you are. Follow the trail.

New to V5RC? Start with three steps

  1. Explore how a drivetrain works and identify the parts on your robot.
  2. Choose a first programming step with your team or mentor.
  3. Record what you tried and learned.

Then browse the topics below. Driver, Engineer, and Strategist are specializations—not prerequisites.

STAGE 01
Discover
New to robotics or new to us. Understand what engineering-through-competition actually looks like — and why we share everything.
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STAGE 02
Learn the Process
Work the design method, a mechanism, a line of code, a notebook page. The six pillars below are your curriculum, beginner to advanced.
→
STAGE 03
Specialize
Find your role — Driver, Engineer, or Strategist. Everyone is an engineer; your role is how you specialize, not the limit of what you do.
// Seven learning areas · guide pathways · one canonical home each
Design Process
The engineering method — how we think before we build
11 guides →
Mechanical & CAD
Mechanisms, drivetrains, Onshape, and fabrication
45 guides →
Programming
VEXcode, Path Planner, autonomous, and the CS behind it
72 guides →
Strategy & Notebook
Reading the game and documenting the work
28 guides →
Role Pathways
Driver, Engineer, Strategist — find your specialization
19 guides →
Showcase & Community
Our culture, outreach, and past-season archives
16 guides →
Interactive Tools
Calculators, planners, and quick utilities
10 guides →
Filter by level:
Design Process
The engineering method — how we think before we build
11
Mechanical & CAD
Mechanisms, drivetrains, Onshape, and fabrication
45
BEGDrivetrain 101 — Learning Path→ BEGGame Element CAD Sources→ BEGGear Ratio & Drivetrain Speed→ BEGGear Ratios & Motor Speed→ BEGOnshape Assembly Mates→ BEGOnshape Robot Layout→ BEGOnshape Setup for VRC→ BEGOnshape VEX Video Series→ BEGPolycarb Tube Fabrication — Mentor's Guide→ INTCAD to Build Handoff→ INTCenter of Gravity — Build Stability Guide→ INTCompliance (Flex) Wheels — V5RC Selection Guide→ INTEnd-Game Mechanisms→ INTFlywheel Shooter Guide→ INTIntake Design for V5RC→ INTLauncher Systems Guide→ INTMechanism Concept Sprint→ INTOnshape 2D Drawings→ INTOnshape Assistant→ INTOnshape BOM for VRC→ INTOnshape: Game Elements CAD→ INTPayload-Aware Design→ INTPneumatic Pincer Guide — Spartan Design→ INTPolycarb Tube OnShape Guide→ INTShop Safety→ INTTwo 55W Drivetrain Builds→ INTV5 Battery Management→ INTWheel Placement Guide→ INTWiring Guide & ESD Protection→ ADVCascading Lift Deep Dive→ ADVClimbing & Elevation Mechanisms→ ADVCustom Parts & Fabrication→ ADVDR4B — Double Reverse Four-Bar Deep Dive→ ADVDrivetrain Architectures Guide→ ADVDrivetrain Selection — How to Pick Yours→ ADVFirst Drivetrain in Onshape→ ADVFixed Chain Bar Deep Dive→ ADVLift Mechanisms Guide→ ADVLift Selection — Decision Guide for Override→ ADVOnshape Version Control→ ADVOverride Manipulator Deep Dive→ ADVPTOs & Motor Sharing→ ADVPneumatics Guide→ ADVQuick-Swap Motor Mounting→ ADVScissor Lift Deep Dive→
Programming
VEXcode, Path Planner, autonomous, and the CS behind it
72
BEGAutonomous Routine Builder→ BEGBang-Bang Controller→ BEGBlocks to Text Code→ BEGCode Style & Autoformatting→ BEGDebugging Techniques for PROS→ BEGDevices Wizard Setup — Spartan Design→ BEGEZ Template Quick Reference→ BEGEZ Template Setup→ BEGGitHub Getting Started→ BEGIMU Setup & Calibration→ BEGIMU Setup & Calibration→ BEGMy Robot Setup→ BEGVEXcode V5 Setup Guide — Spartan Design→ BEGVRC Coding Setup Tutorial→ BEGYour First 30 Minutes in VS Code→ BEGYour First Auton: Drive, Turn, Square→ INTAuton Failure Diagnosis→ INTAutonomous Failure Diagnosis→ INTBrain Download & Auton Selector→ INTCAD to Code→ INTCurvature (Cheesy) Drive→ INTData Logging to SD Card→ INTDebugging Techniques for PROS→ INTDistance Sensor Auton Correction→ INTDistance Sensor Mounting→ INTEZ Template Assistant→ INTEZ Template Auton Selector→ INTEZ Template PID Tuning→ INTFlowcharts Index — Spartan Design Robotics→ INTGit + VS Code Basics for VRC→ INTLaptop Setup Guide→ INTNaming Conventions & Reserved Words→ INTOrganizing Code→ INTOther Odom Pod Designs→ INTSkills Autonomous in EZ Template→ INTStall Detection→ INTV5 Motor Troubleshooting→ INTV5 Optical Sensor Guide→ INTWhy Build Your Own Drive Library→ ADVAI Vision Sensor & AprilTags Guide→ ADVAdd a Sensor: From Wire to Working→ ADVAdvanced Robot Programming→ ADVBuild Your Odometry Pod→ ADVClawbot Training Platform→ ADVCode Architecture (VEXcode V5) — Spartan Design→ ADVCode Architecture — Spartan Design→ ADVConcurrent Actions→ ADVCustom Brain Screen→ ADVDistance Sensor Positioning→ ADVEZ-Template Version Control→ ADVExit Conditions & Chained Movements→ ADVFinite State Machine→ ADVFlex Training Platform→ ADVGPS, Switches & Potentiometer Guide→ ADVGit & GitHub Workflow Deep Dive→ ADVGit & Version Control→ ADVLevel Up — Advanced Text Coding→ ADVOdometry — Robot Positioning→ ADVPID Diagnostics→ ADVPROS Tasks & Multitasking→ ADVSensor Notebook Templates→ ADVSensor Onboarding Roadmap→ ADVSensor-Based Autonomous→ ADVSensor-Fused Clawbot Walkthrough→ ADVTake Back Half (TBH) Controller→ ADVThe Comp-Branch Workflow→ ADVToolchain Onboarding→ ADVV5 GPS Sensor Deep Dive→ ADVV5RC Tools Guide→ ADVVEXcode V5 API Reference→ ADVVEXcode V5 Guide — Spartan Design→ ADVVision Sensor + AprilTags — Spartan Design→
Strategy & Notebook
Reading the game and documenting the work
28
Role Pathways
Driver, Engineer, Strategist — find your specialization
19
Showcase & Community
Our culture, outreach, and past-season archives
16
Interactive Tools
Calculators, planners, and quick utilities
10