Raspberry gPIo a learn.sparkfun.

com tutorial
Available online at: http://sfe.io/t424

Contents
Introduction
GPIO Pinout
Hardware Setup
Python (RPi.GPIO) API
Python (RPi.GPIO) Example
C (WiringPi) Setup
C (WiringPi) API
C (WiringPi) Example
Using an IDE!
Resources & Going Further

Introduction
Relative to its size the Raspberry Pi is a powerhorse of a computer it can drive HDMI displays, process mouse, keyboard,
and camera inputs, connect to the Internet, and run full-featured Linux distributions. But its more than just a small
computer, its a hardware prototyping tool! The Pi hasbi-directional I/O pins, which you can use to drive LEDs, spin
motors, or read button presses.
This tutorial applies to the Raspberry Pi Model B, the Raspberry Pi Model B+ and the new Raspberry Pi 2 Model B.

Example Pi Wedge on a model B

Driving the Raspberry Pis I/O lines requires a bit of programming. Programming in what language? Take your pick! A
quick glance at the Raspberry Pi GPIO examples shows that there are dozens of programming-language-choices. Weve
pared that list down, and ended up with two really solid, easy tools for driving I/O: Python and C (using the WiringPi
library).
If youve never driven an LED or read in a button press using the Raspberry Pi, this tutorial should help to get you started.
Whether youre a fan of the easily-readable, interpretive scripting language Python or more of a die-hard C programmer,
youll find a programming option that suits our needs.

Covered In This Tutorial

In this tutorial well show two different approaches to reading and driving the Raspberry Pis GPIO pins:python and C.
Heres a quick overview of whats covered:
GPIO Pinout An overview of the Pis GPIO header.
Python API and Examples
RPi.GPIO API An overview of the Python functions you can use to drive GPIO.
RPi.GPIO Example An example Python script that shows off both input and output functionality.
C (and WiringPi) API and Examples
WiringPi Setup and Test How to install WiringPi and then take it for a test drive on the command line.
WiringPi API An overview of the basic functions provided by the WiringPi library.
WiringPi Example A simple example program that shows off WiringPis input and output capabilities.
Using an IDE How to download and install Geany. Our favorite IDE for programming on the Raspberry Pi.
Each programming language has its share of pros and cons. Python is easy (especially if your a programming novice) and
doesnt require any compilation. C is faster and may be easier for those familiar with the old standby.

What Youll Need

Heres a wishlist-full of everything we used for this tutorial.
Some further notes on that bill of materials:
Your Raspberry Pi should have an SD card with Raspbian installed on it. Check out our How to Install Raspbian
tutorial for help with that.
Were also assuming you have the necessarymouse, keyboard and display hooked up to your Pi.
Your Pi will need an Internet connection to download WiringPi. You can use either Ethernet or WiFi (check out our
Raspberry Pi WiFi tutorial for help with that.
The Pi Wedge isnt quite required, but it does make life a lot easier. If you want to skip the breakout, you can instead
use Male-to-Female jumpers to connect from Pi to breadboard.
Of course, feel free to swap in your preferred button and LEDs.

Suggested Reading
This tutorial will assume you have Raspbian installed on your Raspberry Pi. Raspbian is the most popular, well-supported
Linux distribution available for the Pi. If you dont have Raspbian set up, check out ourSetting Up Raspbian tutorial before
continuing down this rabbit hole.

Other, more general purpose tutorials you might be interested in reading include:
Pulse-Width Modulation You can use PWM to dim LEDs or send signals to servo motors. The RPi has a single
PWM-capable pin.
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) To test the output capabilities of the Pi, well be driving a lot of LEDs.
Switch Basics And to test inputs to the Pi, well be using buttons and switches.
Pull-Up Resistors The Pi has internal pull-up (and pull-down) resistors. These are very handy when youre interfacing
buttons with the little computer.

Suggested Viewing
Check out our Raspberry Pi video tutorials if you want a more visual introduction to the Pi!
Getting Started With The Raspberry Pi
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

GPIO Pinout
The Raspberry Pi offers up its GPIO over a standard male header on the board. Over the years the header has expanded
from 26 pins to 40 pins while maintaining the original pinout.

Header configuration for early and late model Pi computers

If youre coming to the Raspberry Pi as anArduino user, youre probably used to referencing pins with a single, unique
number. Programming the Pis hardware works much the same, each pin has its own numberand then some.

There are (at least) two, different numbering schemes you may encounter when referencing Pi pin numbers: (1) Broadcom
chip-specific pin numbers and (2) P1 physical pin numbers. Youre usually free to use either number-system, but many
programs require that you declare which scheme youre using at the very beginning of your program.
Heres a table showing all 26 pins on the P1 header, including any special function they may have, and their dual numbers:

Element14 pin description, annotated

Wedge Silk

Python (BCM)

WiringPi GPIO

Name

P1 Pin Numb

3.3v DC Power

SDA

GPIO02 (SDA1, I2C)

SCL

GPIO03 (SCL1, I2C)

GPIO04 (GPIO_GCLK)

Ground

G4

G17

17

GPIO17 (GPIO_GEN0)

11

G27

27

GPIO27 (GPIO_GEN2)

13

G22

22

GPIO22 (GPIO_GEN3)

15

3.3v DC Power

17 18 GPIO24 (GPIO_GEN5)

5 24 G24

MOSI

12

GPIO10 (SPI_MOSI)

19 20

MISO

13

GPIO09 (SPI_MISO)

21 22 GPIO25 (GPIO_GEN6)

(no worky 14)

GPIO11 (SPI_CLK)

23 24

GPIO08 (SPI_CE0_N)

10

CD0

Ground

25 26

GPIO07 (SPI_CE1_N)

11

CE1

ID_SD (I2C ID EEPROM) 27 28 ID_SC (I2C ID EEPROM) 31

IDSC

IDSD

30

Ground
6 25 G25

G05

21

GPIO05

29 30

Ground

G6

22

GPIO06

31 32

GPIO12

G13 13

23

GPIO13

33 34

Ground

G19 19

24

GPIO19

35 36

GPIO16

27 16 G16

G26 26

25

GPIO26

37 38

GPIO20

28 20 G20

Ground

39 40

GPIO21

29 21 G21

26 12 G12

This table shows the Pi pin header numbers, element14 given names, wiringPi numbers, Python numbers, and related
silkscreen on the wedge.
Note: The Broadcom pin numbers above relate to Pi Model 2 and later only. If you have an older Rev1 Pi, check out this
link for your Broadcom pin numbers.
As you can see, the Pi not only gives you access to the bi-directional I/O pins, but also Serial (UART), I2C, SPI, and even
some PWM (analog output).

Hardware Setup
To get a head start you can assemble the circuit now. Well use this setup for both the C and Python examples. Well use two
LEDs to test the output functionality (digital and PWM), and a button to test the input.

connections to original pi

connections to the pi B + and pi 2 B

Our two LEDs are connected to the Pis GPIO 18 and GPIO 23 those are the Broadcom chip-specific numbers. If youre
basing your wiring off the P1 connector pin numbers, thatd be pins 12 and 16.
The button is connected to Broadcom GPIO 17, aka P1 pin 11.
If you have Pi Wedge, the hookup should be pretty straight-forward. Itll look a little something like this when youre done:

If you dont have a Pi Wedge,male-to-female jumper wires help to make an easy transition from Pi to breadboard.

Python (RPi.GPIO) API

Well use theRPi.GPIO module as the driving force behind our Python examples. This set of Python files and source is
included with Raspbian, so assuming youre running that most popular Linux distribution, you dont need to download
anything to get started.
On this page well provide an overview of the basic function calls you can make using this module.

Setup Stuff
In order to us RPi.GPIO throughout the rest of your Python script, you need to put this statement at the top of your file:

language:Python
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
That statement includes the RPi.GPIO module, and goes a step further by providing a local nameGPIO

which well call to

reference the module from here on.
Pin Numbering Declaration
After youve included the RPi.GPIO module, the next step is to determine which of the twopin-numbering schemes you
want to use:
GPIO.BOARD Board numbering scheme. The pin numbers follow the pin numbers on header P1.
GPIO.BCM Broadcom chip-specific pin numbers. These pin numbers follow the lower-level numbering system
defined by the Raspberry Pis Broadcom-chip brain.
If youre using the Pi Wedge, we recommend using theGPIO.BCM definition those are the numbers silkscreened on the
PCB. The GPIO.BOARD may be easier if youre wiring directly to the header.
To specify in your code which number-system is being used, use the GPIO.setmode() function. For example
language:Python
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
will activate the Broadcom-chip specific pin numbers.
Both the import and setmode lines of code are required, if you want to use Python.
Setting a Pin Mode
If youve used Arduino, youre probably familiar with the fact that you have to declare a pin mode before you can use it as
either an input or output. To set a pin mode, use the setup([pin], [GPIO.IN, GPIO.OUT] function. So, if you
want to set pin 18 as an output, for example, write:
language:Python
GPIO.setup(18, GPIO.OUT)
Remember that the pin number will change if youre using the board numbering system (instead of 18, itd be 12).

Outputs
Digital Output
To write a pin high or low, use the GPIO.output([pin], [GPIO.LOW, GPIO.HIGH]) function. For example, if
you want to set pin 18 high, write:
language:Python
GPIO.output(18, GPIO.HIGH)
Writing a pin to GPIO.HIGH will drive it to 3.3V, and GPIO.LOW will set it to 0V. For the lazy, alternative to
GPIO.HIGH and GPIO.LOW, you can use either 1, True, 0 or False to set a pin value.

PWM (Analog) Output

PWM on the Raspberry Pi is about as limited as can be one, single pin is capable of it: 18 (i.e. board pin 12).
To initialize PWM, use GPIO.PWM([pin], [frequency]) function. To make the rest of your script-writing easier
you can assign that instance to a variable. Then use pwm.start([duty cycle]) function to set an initial value. For
example
language:Python
pwm = GPIO.PWM(18, 1000)
pwm.start(50)
will set our PWM pin up with a frequency of 1kHz, and set that output to a 50% duty cycle.
To adjust the value of the PWM output, use the pwm.ChangeDutyCycle([duty cycle]) function. [duty
cycle] can be any value between 0 (i.e 0%/LOW) and 100 (ie.e 100%/HIGH). So to set a pin to 75% on, for example,
you could write:
language:Python
pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(75)
To turn PWM on that pin off, use the pwm.stop() command.
Simple enough! Just dont forget to set the pin as an output before you use it for PWM.

Inputs
If a pin is configured as an input, you can use the GPIO.input([pin]) function to read its value. The input()
function will return either a True or False indicating whether the pin is HIGH or LOW. You can use an if statement to
test this, for example
language:Python
if GPIO.input(17):
print("Pin 11 is HIGH")
else:
print("Pin 11 is LOW")
will read pin 17 and print whether its being read as HIGH or LOW.
Pull-Up/Down Resistors
Remember back to the GPIO.setup() function where we declared whether a pin was an input or output? Theres an
optional third parameter to that function, which you can use to set pull-up or pull-down resistors. To use a pull-up resistor
on a pin, add pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP as a third parameter in GPIO.setup. Or, if you need a pull-down
resistor, instead use pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_DOWN.
For example, to use a pull-up resistor on GPIO 17, write this into your setup:
language:Python
GPIO.setup(17, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)

If nothing is declared in that third value, both pull-resistors will be disabled.

Etc.
Delays
If you need to slow your Python script down, you can add delays. To incorporate delays into your script, youll need to
include another module: time. This line, at the top of your script, will do it for you:
language:Python
include time
Then, throughout the rest of your script, you can use time.sleep([seconds]) to give your script a rest. You can use
decimals to precisely set your delay. For example, to delay 250 milliseconds, write:
language:Python
time.sleep(0.25)
The time module includes all sorts of useful functions, on top of sleep. Check out the reference here.
Garbage Collecting
Once your script has run its course, be kind to the next process that might use your GPIOs by cleaning up after yourself.
Use the GPIO.cleanup() command at the end of your script to release any resources your script may be using.
Your Pi will survive if you forget to add this command, but it is good practice to include wherever you can.

Now then. Lets incorporate everything we learned here into an example script to try everything out.

Python (RPi.GPIO) Example

Follow along as we use the basic RPi.GPIO functions from the last page to create a simple example GPIO script.

1. Create a File
To begin, we need to create a Python file. You can do this through the GUI-based file explorer. Or, if you want a terminalbased solution, open up LXTerminal, and navigate to a folder youd like the file to live (or create one). And create a new
folder with these commands:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ mkdir python
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ cd python
.py aextension. Then open it up in your favorite text editor. Nano
Create a file well call ours blinker and terminate it with
works, as does Pis default GUI text editor, Leafpad.
pi@raspberrypi ~/code/python $ touch blinker.py
pi@raspberrypi ~/code/python $ leafpad blinker.py &

Thatll open up a blank text file (the & will open it in the background, leaving the terminal in place for future use). Time for

some code!

2. Codify
Heres an example sketch that incorporates everything we learned on the last page. It does a little input and output, and even
handles some PWM. This assumes youve set up the circuit as arranged on theHardware Setup page.

language:Python
# External module imports
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
# Pin Definitons:
pwmPin = 18 # Broadcom pin 18 (P1 pin 12)
ledPin = 23 # Broadcom pin 23 (P1 pin 16)
butPin = 17 # Broadcom pin 17 (P1 pin 11)
dc = 95 # duty cycle (0-100) for PWM pin
# Pin Setup:
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM) # Broadcom pin-numbering scheme
GPIO.setup(ledPin, GPIO.OUT) # LED pin set as output
GPIO.setup(pwmPin, GPIO.OUT) # PWM pin set as output
pwm = GPIO.PWM(pwmPin, 50) # Initialize PWM on pwmPin 100Hz frequency
GPIO.setup(butPin, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP) # Button pin set as input w/ pu
# Initial state for LEDs:
GPIO.output(ledPin, GPIO.LOW)
pwm.start(dc)
print("Here we go! Press CTRL+C to exit")
try:
while 1:
if GPIO.input(butPin): # button is released
pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(dc)
GPIO.output(ledPin, GPIO.LOW)
else: # button is pressed:
pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(100-dc)
GPIO.output(ledPin, GPIO.HIGH)
time.sleep(0.075)
GPIO.output(ledPin, GPIO.LOW)
time.sleep(0.075)
except KeyboardInterrupt: # If CTRL+C is pressed, exit cleanly:
pwm.stop() # stop PWM
GPIO.cleanup() # cleanup all GPIO
After youve typed all of that in (dont forget your whitespace!)save.

Running the Script

The RPi.GPIO module requires administrator privileges, so youll need to tag asudo on to the front of your Python script
call. To run your blinker.py script, type:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code/python $ sudo python blinker.py
With the code running, press the button to turn on the digital LED. The PWM-ing LED will invert its brightness when you

press the button as well.

Press CTRL+C to cleanly exit the script.

C (WiringPi) Setup
Python is a great GPIO-driving option, especially if youre used to it. But if youre a rickety old programmer, unfamiliar with
the whitespace-driven scripting language, and would rather live within the happy confines of C, then let me introduce the
WiringPi library.

1) Install Wiring Pi
WiringPi is not included with Raspbian, so, to begin, youll need to download and install it. That means your Pi will need a
connection to the Internet either via Ethernet orWiFi.
Once your Pi is Internet-enabled, visit the WiringPi homepage for instructions on downloading and installing the library.
We highly recommend using Git to download the latest version. As long as you have Git installed, these commands should
be all you need to download and install WiringPi:
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi

~/code $ git clone git://git.drogon.net/wiringPi

~/code $ cd wiringPi
~/code/wiringPi $ git pull origin
~/code/wiringPi $ cd wiringPi
~/code/wiringPi/wiringPi $ ./build

2) Test Wiring Pi
WiringPi is awesome because its actually more than just a C library, it includes acommand-line utility as well! You can
test your installation of WiringPi with the gpio utility.
Open up a terminal, and try some of these system calls:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ gpio -g mode 18 output
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ gpio -g write 18 1
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ gpio -g write 18 0

As long as your LED is still connected to pin 18 it should blink on and off following the last two commands.
Or, to test the button, type:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ gpio -g mode 17 up
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ gpio -g read 17
Either 0 or 1 will be returned, depending on whether the button is pressed or not. Try typing that last line again while
pressing the button.

The gpio utility, as stated in the manual, is a swiss army knife command-line tool. We highly recommend checking out the
man page (type man gpio) to discover everything it can do.

If youre ready to get on with some C-style programming, head over to the next page. Well overview some of the most
useful functions provided by the WiringPi library.

C (WiringPi) API
On this page well discuss some of the most useful functions provided by the WiringPi library. Its tailored to look a lot like
Arduino, so if youve done any Arduino programming some of this may look familiar.

Setup Stuff
To begin, youll need to include the library. At the beginning of your program, type:
language:c
#include <wiringPi.h>
After youve included the library, your first steps should be to initialize it. This step also determines whichpin numbering
scheme youll be using throughout the rest of your program. Pickone of these function calls to initialize the library:
language:c
wiringPiSetup(); // Initializes wiringPi using wiringPi's simlified number system.
wiringPiSetupGpio(); // Initializes wiringPi using the Broadcom GPIO pin numbers
WiringPis simplified number system introduces a third pin-numbering scheme. We didnt show it in the table earlier, if you
want to use this scheme, check out their pins page for an overview.

Pin Mode Declaration

To set a pin as either an input or output, use the pinMode([pin], [mode]) function. Mode can be either INPUT,
OUTPUT, or PWM_OUTPUT.
For example, to set pin 22 as an input, 23 as an output, and 18 as a PWM, write:
language:c
wiringPiSetupGpio()
pinMode(17, INPUT);
pinMode(23, OUTPUT);
pinMode(18, PWM_OUTPUT);

Keep in mind that the above example uses the Broadcom GPIO pin-numbering scheme.

Digital Output
The digitalWrite([pin], [HIGH/LOW]) function can be used to set an output pin either HIGH or LOW. Easy
enough, if youre an Arduino user.
To set pin 23 as HIGH, for example, simply call:
language:c
digitalWrite(23, HIGH);
PWM (Analog) Output
For the lone PWM pin, you can use pwmWrite([pin], [0-1023]) to set it to a value between 0 and 1024. As an
example
language:c
pwmWrite(18, 723);
will set pin 18 to a duty cycle around 70%.

Digital Input
If youre an Arduino veteran, you probably know what comes next. To read the digital state of a pin,
digitalRead([pin]) is your function. For example
language:c
if (digitalRead(17))
printf("Pin 17 is HIGH\n");
else
printf("Pin 17 is LOW\n");
digitalRead() function returns 1 if the pin is HIGH and 0 if its LOW.
will print the status of pin 22. The
Pull-Up/Down Resistors
Need some pull-up or pull-down resistors on your digital input? Use the pullUpDnControl([pin], [PUD_OFF,
PUD_DOWN, PUD_UP]) function to pull your pin.
For example, if you have a button on pin 22 and need some help pulling it up, write:
language:c
pullUpDnControl(17, PUD_UP);
That comes in handy if your button pulls low when its pressed.

Delays
Slowing down those blinking LEDs is always useful assuming you actually want to differentiate between on and off.
WiringPi includes two delay functions to choose from: delay([milliseconds]) and
delayMicroseconds([microseconds])

. The standard delay will halt the program flow for a specified number of milliseconds. If you want to delay for 2 seconds,
for example, write:
language:c
delay(2000);
Or you can use delayMicroseconds() to get a more precise, microsecond-level delay.

Now that you know the basics, lets apply them to an example piece of code.

C (WiringPi) Example
The intention of WiringPi is to make your I/O code look as Arduino-ified as possible. However keep in mind that were no
loop() or setup(), just int main(void).
longer existing in the comfy confines of Arduino theres no
Follow along here as we create an example C file, incorporate the WiringPi library, and compile and run that program.

Create blinker.c
Using the terminal, navigate to a folder of your choice and create a new file blinker.c. Then open that file in a text editor
(Nano or Leafpad are included with Raspbian).
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi
pi@raspberrypi

~/code $ mkdir c_example

~/code $ cd c_example
~/code/c_example $ touch blinker.c
~/code/c_example $ leafpad blinker.c &

The commands above will open your blinker.c file in Leafpad, while leaving your terminal functioning in-directory in th
background.

Program!
Heres an example program that includes a little bit of everything we talked about on the last page. Copy and paste, or write
it yourself to get some extra reinforcement.
language:c
#include <stdio.h>
// Used for printf() statements
#include <wiringPi.h> // Include WiringPi library!
// Pin number declarations. We're using the Broadcom chip pin numbers.
const int pwmPin = 18; // PWM LED - Broadcom pin 18, P1 pin 12
const int ledPin = 23; // Regular LED - Broadcom pin 23, P1 pin 16
const int butPin = 17; // Active-low button - Broadcom pin 17, P1 pin 11
const int pwmValue = 75; // Use this to set an LED brightness
int main(void)
{
// Setup stuff:
wiringPiSetupGpio(); // Initialize wiringPi -- using Broadcom pin numbers
pinMode(pwmPin, PWM_OUTPUT); // Set PWM LED as PWM output
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
// Set regular LED as output
pinMode(butPin, INPUT);
// Set button as INPUT

printf("Blinker is running! Press CTRL+C to quit.\n");

// Loop (while(1)):
while(1)
{
if (digitalRead(butPin)) // Button is released if this returns 1
{
pwmWrite(pwmPin, pwmValue); // PWM LED at bright setting
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
// Regular LED off
}
else // If digitalRead returns 0, button is pressed
{
pwmWrite(pwmPin, 1024 - pwmValue); // PWM LED at dim setting
// Do some blinking on the ledPin:
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); // Turn LED ON
delay(75); // Wait 75ms
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); // Turn LED OFF
delay(75); // Wait 75ms again
}
}
return 0;
}
Once youve finished,Save and return to your terminal.

Compile and Execute!

Unlike Python, which is an interpreted language, before we can run our C program, we need to build it.
To compile our program, well invokegcc. Enter this into your terminal, and wait a second for it to finish compiling:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code/c_example $ gcc -o blinker blinker.c -l wiringPi
That command will create an executable file blinker. The -l wiringPi part is important, it loads the wiringPi library. A
successful compilation wont produce any messages; if you got any errors, try to use the messages to track them down.
Type this to execute your program:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code/c_example $ sudo ./blinker
The blinker program should begin doing its thing. Make sure youve set up the circuit just as modeled on thehardware setup
page. Press the button to blink the LED, release to have it turn off. The PWM-ing LED will be brightest when the button is
released, and dim when the button is pressed.

If typing all of that code in a bland, black-and-white, non-highlighting editor hurt your brain, check out the next page where
we introduce a simple IDE that makes your programming more efficient.

Using an IDE!
Thus far weve been using simple text-editors Leafpad or Nano to write our Python and C programs. So seasoned
programmers are probably missing a whole lot of features assumed of even the most basic editors: auto-tabbing, context-

highlighting, even automated building. If you want to incorporate any of those features, we recommend using an IDE
(integrated development environment). One of our favorite Pi IDEs isGeany, heres how to get it up and running.

Download and Install Geany

Geany isnt included with Raspbian, so youll need an Internet connection to download it. You can use the magicalapt-get
utility to install it with this command:
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ sudo apt-get update
pi@raspberrypi ~/code $ sudo apt-get install geany
Once installed, you can run Geany by going to the Start menu, and looking under the Programming tab.

Or, from the terminal, you can type sudo geany. You can even open a file in Geany, directly from the command line. To
open our previous C file, for example, type sudo geany blinker.c.

Using Geany
Once Geany is running, you can create a new file by going to File > New. Saving the file as either .c or .py (or any other
common language file extension) will immediately inform Geany what kind of language youre working with, so it can start
highlighting your text.
Geany can be used with most languages, including the Python and C examples weve just examined. Some tweaks to the
default IDE options are necessary, though. Heres an overview of using Geany with each language.
with C and WiringPi
Lets recreate ourWiringPi Example with Geany. Open the blinker.c created earlier within the confines of Geany. You
should immediately be presented with some very pleasant color-coding.

Before trying to compile the code, though, youll need to tweak some of the build options. Go up toBuild and Set Build
-l wiringPi.
Commands. Inside the Compile and Build text blocks, tack this on to the end of the default command:
That will load the wiringPi library.

While youre here,add sudo

to the beginning of your execute command. Make sure your build commands look like the
window above and click OK.
Once youve adjusted that setting, you should be ready to go. Click theBuild menu, then click Build (or click the red cinderblock-looking icon up top). Upon building, the IDE will switch focus to the bottom Compiler tab, and relay the results of
your compilation. If the build was successful, go ahead and run with it.
To run your built file, click Build > Execute (or click the gear icon up top). Executing will bring up a new terminal
window, and start your program running. You can stop the program by pressing CTRL+C in the terminal window.
with Python
You can also use Geany with Python. To test it out, go ahead an open up the blinker.py file we created earlier. As with the
C file, youll be greeted with some pleasnt context highlighting.

No building required with Python! Once youre script is written, simply click the Execute gear up top. Again, running will
produce a separate terminal to pop up. To exit, simply press CTRL+C.

Geany has tons of features beyond what weve covered here. Check out the tabs at the bottom. Check out the menus up top.
Experiment and see how the IDE can make your programming life easier!

Resources & Going Further

Now that you know how to blink your Pis LEDs, check out some of these resources for going further:
RPi Low-level peripherals A Wiki with tons of details on using the Raspberry Pis GPIO peripherals.

WiringPi Hompeage The home of WiringPi and a variety of other Raspberry-Pi-related tools. Check it out!
RPi.GPIO Homepage Home of the Raspberry Pi GPIO python module. Great source for API and documentation.
If youre looking for some project inspiration, here are some more SparkFun tutorials where youll be able to leverage your
newfound Pi programming skills:
Raspberry Pi Twitter Monitor How to use a Raspberry Pi to monitor Twitter for hashtags and blink an LED.
Getting Started with the BrickPi How to connect your Raspberry Pi to Lego Mindstorms, using the BrickPi.
pcDuino 2 Hookup Guide An introduction to the pcDuino an equally (if not more) powerful single board computer.

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