Raspberry Pi Ltd
Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico
Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico is the official beginner's guide to programming the Raspberry Pi Pico using MicroPython. It introduces the ...
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Get Started with MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico is the official beginner's guide to programming the Raspberry Pi Pico using MicroPython. It introduces the RP2040 microcontroller and walks you through connecting hardware and writing programs to interact with the physical world — lighting LEDs, driving displays, making sounds, and building your own electro-mechanical projects.
Written by two experienced Raspberry Pi authors, the book is designed for beginners with little or no prior microcontroller experience, making it the ideal starting point for anyone new to the Pico ecosystem.
What You'll Learn
- How microcontrollers work and how the RP2040 differs from a full computer
- Writing MicroPython programs for the Raspberry Pi Pico
- Using GPIO pins to read inputs and control outputs
- Connecting hardware like LEDs, displays, buttons, and sensors
- Building practical electro-mechanical projects from scratch
About the Authors
- Gareth Halfacree – Freelance technology journalist, open-source advocate, and experienced Raspberry Pi author
- Ben Everard – Editor of HackSpace magazine and hands-on maker with a focus on DIY tech
Ideal For
- Beginners new to the Raspberry Pi Pico or MicroPython
- Makers wanting to transition from Scratch or Python to hardware programming
- Students and educators exploring embedded systems
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- GPIO
- General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- MicroPython
- A version of the Python programming language made to run on microcontrollers. It matters because it lets beginners write readable code to control LEDs, sensors, motors and displays without needing to start with lower-level languages.
- RP2040
- The RP2040 is a dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller chip from Raspberry Pi, used on many maker boards and offering programmable I/O, multiple GPIO pins and reasonable processing speed. Code and accessories built for that chip should work where RP2040 compatibility is listed, though demanding tasks such as reading a camera can require careful pin allocation and timing.
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