Often I want to connect components that operate at less than 5v (I mention this as it may have a bearing on the gauge of the wire?) But have an easy way to disconnect.
Screw terminals are nice but they can be slow when there are multiple wires.
Breadboards are too fragile for field testing.
I was thinking of using RCA audio video jacks and plugs, but they seem so big... Is there something similar but smaller?
I'm looking to connect things like sensors and breakout boards.
I like screwless terminals:
Wago 2060 series:
Wago 233 series:
These just require a simple push down of a screwdriver to insert or remove cable.
For easy-to-make cable, IDC ribbon connectors are nice, as you don't have to strip the cable, just insert it into the connector and compress gently with a vice.
Alternatively if you don't mind screwing the terminals in once, but then want easy disconnect / reconnect, try pluggable terminal blocks:
These are also available in screwless types.
I use multi-position dupont headers to connect/disconnect multiple pins at once on a PCB or breadboard.
I tend to use standard machine-pin socket strips like those used for IC sockets. They are inexpensive, small, very reliable.
My connection wire is standard 24 AWG solid copper wire. The wire I use is from multi-pair telephone cable (25 pair all the way up to 1000 pair) that I get from some of the Telco guys that I know. But solid-conductor CAT-5 cable is exactly the same wire and works just as well.
The advantages of using those machine-pin sockets is that they come in strips that match the spacing of the Veroboard (Stripboard) that I often use for making little doodads. These might be LED displays, or DIP switches (with pull-up resistors) or whatever.
These are available from eBay, Amazon, many other suppliers. The search string that I used just now in eBay was "machine pin (socket, strip, breakable)" and one of the items that showed up was 10pc SIP Socket 1x40 40p Pitch=2.54mm Female Screw machine round hole/pin RoHS for US $5.80.
