Serial.available() for Arduino Mega only?

Projects Programming
1

I'm using an "Arduino Uno" and am trying to use my keyboard to control a servo as this example code has:

I'm staring at this example blankly hoping something sinks in trying to figure out what each of the little bits do, and I'm also looking around code reference area dealing with "serial"

link: Serial - Arduino Reference

and I see the available option..

I then see "Arduino Mega only"

I'm wondering why specific bits of code only work with specific hardware versions.

What is so different between the boards that this wouldn't work?

2

What you see is:

Syntax

Serial.available()

Arduino Mega only:
Serial1.available()
Serial2.available()
Serial3.available()

That is because the Mega has three more serial ports (Serial1, Serial2, and Serial3) that the Uno doesn't have.