GameCube

Before you begin

A little preparation makes GameCube homebrew almost stress-free. Unlike newer consoles, there is no system firmware to corrupt, so the main risks come from hardware mistakes rather than software ones. Still, a few habits will save you headaches.

Identify your model
Flip the console over and read the DOL number. This determines which entry points are open to you, especially whether Serial Port 2 is present.
Choose an entry point
Decide between a software trick, a memory-card or SP2 adapter, a modchip, or an optical drive emulator based on your comfort with soldering.
Gather your hardware
A FAT32-formatted SD card, a compatible adapter or game, and a working controller. Buy adapters from reputable sellers.
Back up your saves
Use GCMM to copy memory card data before experimenting, so nothing precious is lost.

Set expectations

Soldering methods like PicoBoot and internal ODE installs are permanent modifications. Adapter-based methods are reversible: unplug them and the console is stock again.

Read the safety and risks page next. It is short, and it covers the handful of ways a hardware install can go wrong so you can avoid them entirely. Once you understand your DOL-001 or DOL-101 options, the rest is straightforward copying of files.