Beyond education, the most practical application of Arduino Nano Eagle files is integration into custom PCBs. A common workflow for makers involves prototyping a project using a breadboard and an Arduino Nano. Once the prototype functions correctly, the next step is to create a custom Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to make the project permanent and reliable. Rather than soldering the Nano onto the custom board as a standalone module (which can be bulky and electrically inefficient), the designer can copy the necessary sections of the Arduino Nano Eagle files into their own project.
: Component retailers like RS Online and Farnell host the Nano 3.0 reference design as downloadable ZIP files containing the schematic, board layout, and bill of materials (BOM). arduino nano eagle files