Modern computing is becoming more compact. The introduction of super-compact chipsets like Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega makes it possible to run computers with the size of a credit card. In this ever-changing world of optimization and high performance, it is important to learn Raspberry Pi — a chipset that surpasses every other in its league.
Below is a detailed guide to the best available resources for learning this tool. We’ll cover books, video courses, and professional guides, and community-generated content so that you can pick the learning path that best suits your needs.
How to learn Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi is considered one of the hottest chipsets in the market when it comes to use-cases like smart homes and self-made bots. This is because the latest version of Raspberry Pi — the 4th generation — is capable enough of processing 4k videos and supporting more than one screen at once. Most modern laptops fail at doing these properly. On top of that, the chipset is only priced at $55 for a 4 GB RAM Model (and $35 for a smaller one) which is nothing when compared to the cost of full-sized chipsets that still stutter in handling HD videos.
What is Raspberry Pi?
Raspberry Pi is a low-cost, super-compact computer that comes preinstalled with a great variety of ports, including Ethernet, USB 3.0, and HDMI. It is available in variants of 4 GB RAM as well as 8 GB RAM, which makes it a strong contender for small-scale personal computing. It can connect with up to two displays and is powerful enough to run most modern server applications for long durations.
With all these features, Raspberry Pi does feel like overkill for simple hardware projects. The Arduino Mega series offers some great alternatives if you’re looking to build an IoT solution or a utility bot. However, when it comes to handling software projects, no chipset can match the excellence of Raspberry Pi.
Let’s take a look at some common use cases of Raspberry Pi before we finally move on to the resources section.
What is Raspberry Pi used for?
Learn the basics of computing
The Pi is always used as the first device for people who are not into computing but are looking to get started. You can carry out basic tasks like word processing, data management, or even programming in Python. If you’re looking for more, you can set up a Windows machine on it, and take full advantage of tools that are supported in a general-purpose computer. However, Windows is known to be resource-heavy, and you’re better off without it on your Raspberry Pi.
Build a webserver
For those who are well-versed with web development, the Pi can serve as a great hosting alternative. You can set up a PostgreSQL database or an Apache server on it, and connect it to a power supply for low-cost uninterrupted server availability.
Set up a media center
One of the primary aims kept in mind while developing Raspberry Pi was to be able to use it as a media center. Kodi, an open source media player, has several builds released in the form of disk images. If you prefer to keep your Pi available for other things, Kodi can also be installed on the native Raspbian operating system.
Add wireless capabilities to old devices
One of the smartest uses of Raspberry Pi is to convert old, wire-based devices into smart wireless machines. If you have an old printer that can only be used via a USB interface, you can attach a Raspberry Pi to it, and control the printer via Wi-Fi. There are many more practical applications of the technology, and it depends on how creative you can get in your approach.
Manage smart home solutions
Using a Raspberry Pi, you can convert your home appliances into smart, network-controlled devices that can be operated from any corner of the world. With the growing use of IoT, the Pi becomes a great platform to base all of your IoT enabled devices and connect them to your remote switches.
Build a network monitoring tool
One of the intelligent uses of Raspberry Pi is to set it up as a virtual monitor for your local connection. You can easily manage the devices connected to your home network and get notified when something in your network is off. An open-source tool to help you get started with this is Nagios. With Nagios set up on your Pi, you can easily track down the number of devices in your network, connectivity issues, and more.
Learning Raspberry Pi
Given that Raspberry Pi is such a powerful device, it is a must skill to have to be able to build powerful hardware and software projects at low cost. The following is a list of resources to help you get started with Raspberry Pi as a beginner.
The best Raspberry Pi resources
Here are a few great video courses on Raspberry Pi to help you get started in the least time possible.
Raspberry Pi, Python, and Electronics Bootcamp
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 3 hours
- Price: Free
- Prerequisites: none
- Level: Beginner
- Start Date: On-Demand
This is a super concise course on the basics of Raspberry Pi and is open for free enrollment. This makes it the best alternative for people who are looking to try Raspberry Pi out without investing much in it. It covers only the basics, so it becomes important to continue your learning with one of the more detailed courses after finishing this one.
The Ultimate Guide to Raspberry Pi: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks
- Platform: Udemy
- Duration: 5 hours
- Price: Check it out!
- Prerequisites: none
- Level: Intermediate
- Start Date: On-Demand
With a 4.4-star rating by nearly 1,500 students at the time of writing this article, this course stands out from the crowd. Since it is on-demand, it makes up a great video resource for absolute beginners. It is frequently updated and has great content for Raspberry Pi 3 as well as 4.
The Raspberry Pi Platform and Python Programming for the Raspberry Pi
- Platform: Coursera
- Duration: 11 hours
- Price: Coursera offers a 7-day free trial, but you’ll need its monthly subscription to view the full course, which is usually priced around $39
- Prerequisites: none
- Level: Advanced
- Start Date: On-Demand
With over 100,000 enrollments and a 4.7-star rating by over 2,700 students at the time of writing this article, this course delivers what it promises. It offers a certificate on completion and is a part of Coursera’s “An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IoT)” specialization, which makes it worth investing in if you’re planning on getting the certification at some point in time.
Raspberry Pi books
Apart from video courses, many books are available to help you get started with Raspberry Pi. Some top ones include.
‘Raspberry Pi Beginner’s Guide 4th Edition’ by MagPi
This book has been fully updated to cover the latest version of the Raspberry Pi in great detail. It is popular across the globe as the most beginner-friendly guide, and it can be downloaded for free from the MagPi website as an e-book.
‘The Official Raspberry Pi Handbook 2021’ by MagPi
This book is a more concise take on the chipset and contains handy tips and tricks to help you find your way across the device easily. While the handbook might not be the best alternative if you’re a beginner, it sure is a great resource when you’ve gotten some experience of the technology and are looking for a quick cheat sheet to refer to when needed.
How long does it take to learn Raspberry Pi?
Raspberry Pi has been around for quite some time, and there are ample resources both free and paid to help you get started with it. If you’re serious about learning Raspberry Pi, it should not take you more than 10 days to get a solid start with the device. To build a mature understanding of its dynamics, dedicated 2–3 weeks are more than enough.
Should you learn Raspberry Pi?
After having gone through the different available resources and ways of getting started with Raspberry Pi, we are still left with one important question: Should you invest your time and resources into it? The answer to this question depends on you — if you are planning to look for a career in electronics, Raspberry Pi is a must skill. If you’re planning to build a small one-time project, you might want to check out simpler alternatives like Arduino. If you’re looking for a cheap and custom method of hosting your business ideas like websites and servers, the Pi is going to be a great asset for you. If you’re looking to build bots — look for something simpler but if you’re trying to build a full-fledged automation solution for your home, Raspberry Pi is the way to go!
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