Add your title block to the default (New) sketch

Development Tools IDE 2.x
1

Continuing the discussion from IDE2.3 change default sketch:

Thanks to the spirited discussions between @ptillisch, @UKHeliBob and others, even a newb maker like me can create a custom default sketch to include a title block (or whatever you always want in your new sketches) by following the steps in their topic.

Start by editing and saving your sketch (default.ino) to a known directory (you choose).

/*
  Default (empty) sketch template 

  A default sketch template WITH a predefined title block.

  created:  23 Jan 2026
  by:       mrawe58
  IDE:      2.3.7
  board:    UNO R3
  modified: 23 Jan 2026
  by:       mrawe58

  https://docs.arduino.cc/learn/contributions/arduino-writing-style-guide/#explanation-of-code

  ** Me adding random stuff to test the changes in startup sketch **

*/
void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);    // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);  // I like to start with the LED off by making the voltage LOW
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
}

Then follow the instructions in the earlier topic; (IDE2.3 change default sketch) to open the Command Palette and reference your new "Sketch: Ino Blueprint".

The beauty, for me, is that once having done so, you can dynamically change your "New Sketch" content by simply editing the referenced sketch (default.ino) without having to re-link it in the arduino.sketch.inoBlueprint preferences. (You do need to restart the IDE)

I see the value of the "feature" that opens the last sketch(es) you used when the IDE starts, but I'm probably too new to weigh in on the auto-default option.

I'll go back to blinking my LEDs now. :squinting_face_with_tongue:

2 Likes