What Is Raspberry Pi Used For, and How Do You Start? Setup and Real Projects

Key takeaways

• A Raspberry Pi is a complete Linux computer on one board, plus GPIO pins for hardware projects.
• It is good for learning Linux, Python, networking and electronics at low cost.
• Setup uses Raspberry Pi Imager to write the OS to a microSD card.
• Secure it like any networked computer: change default settings, update, use SSH keys.

What it is

The Raspberry Pi is a family of small computers made by the Raspberry Pi Foundation's trading company. A board has a processor, memory, USB and network ports, video output and a 40-pin GPIO header that connects to LEDs, sensors and other electronics. Most models run Raspberry Pi OS, a Debian-based Linux, though other systems are available. Check the official Raspberry Pi site for current models and specifications, because they change.

Which model?

Models differ in speed, memory and size. In general:

Check current specifications, memory options and prices on the official site before buying.

What people use it for

• Learning: Linux, Python, networking and electronics.
• Home server: file sharing, a small web server or a media centre.
• Network projects: Pi-hole as a network-wide ad and tracker blocker, a VPN server, a monitoring node.
• Home automation and IoT: reading temperature or motion sensors and acting on them.
• Cameras and vision: simple monitoring or machine vision experiments.
• Kiosks and signage: a display that shows one web page.
• Prototyping: testing a device idea before building custom hardware.
• Security learning labs: a small low-cost lab node on your own network. Use only on networks you own.

First setup

1. Get a microSD card, a power supply suited to your model, a case and a display cable if you want a desktop.
2. On another computer, install Raspberry Pi Imager from the official site.
3. Choose your Pi model, choose Raspberry Pi OS, choose the card and use the settings option to set a hostname, a user and password, Wi-Fi details and enable SSH.
4. Write the card, put it in the Pi and power up.
5. Connect from your computer:

ssh [email protected]
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

A first hardware project: blink an LED

Connect an LED with a resistor to a GPIO pin and ground, following the official wiring diagram for your model. Wrong wiring can damage the board, so check pin numbering. Then run:

from gpiozero import LED
from time import sleep

led = LED(17) # GPIO17
while True:
 led.on(); sleep(1)
 led.off(); sleep(1)

The gpiozero library comes with Raspberry Pi OS. See the Raspberry Pi documentation for pin diagrams and library details. Never connect mains voltage to GPIO pins. Use a resistor with LEDs and keep power off while wiring.

Security basics

• Change default passwords and avoid shared accounts.
• Prefer SSH keys over passwords and keep the system updated.
• Do not expose the Pi directly to the internet. Use a VPN for remote access.
• Back up the SD card, because cards can fail.

Common mistakes

• Using a weak power supply, which causes random crashes.
• Skipping the Imager's settings, so you cannot log in headlessly.
• Corrupting the SD card by pulling power. Shut down properly.
• Wiring GPIO pins without checking the pin map.

Next steps

If you want to practise Linux on a Pi, see the Linux course and the Python programming course. For wireless-lab uses of the Pi, read the post on Kali Linux Nexmon for Raspberry Pi Wi-Fi, for use only on networks you own.

Related reading

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