Raspberry Pi Basics Cheat Sheet

1. What is Raspberry Pi?

• Raspberry Pi is a low-cost, credit-card-sized computer developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
• Used For:
  • Learning to program
  • IoT projects
  • Robotics
  • Home automation
  • Media centers

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2. Models of Raspberry Pi

• Raspberry Pi 5 (2GB/4GB/8GB RAM)
• Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB/4GB/8GB RAM)
• Raspberry Pi 3 Model B/B+
• Raspberry Pi Zeros (Compact version)
• Raspberry Pi Picos (Microcontroller)

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3. Setting Up Raspberry Pi

What You Need:

• Raspberry Pi Board
• microSD Card (16GB+ recommended)
• Power Supply (USB-C for Pi 4, Micro-USB for Pi 3)
• HDMI Cable and Monitor
• Keyboard & Mouse
• Internet (Ethernet/WiFi)

Steps:

1. Download Raspberry Pi OS:
   https://www.raspberrypi.org/software/
2. Flash OS to microSD:
   Use Raspberry Pi Imager or balenaEtcher to write the OS to the card.
3. Insert microSD Card: Insert into Pi’s slot.
4. Connect Peripherals: Attach keyboard, mouse, and HDMI.
5. Power On: Connect power. Pi will boot.

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4. First Boot & Configuration

sudo raspi-config

• Change User Password
• Set WiFi (Network Options)
• Enable SSH, I2C, SPI (Interface Options)
• Expand Filesystem (Advanced)
• Set Locale and Timezone

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5. Useful Commands

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade  # Update system  
sudo reboot                          # Reboot  
sudo shutdown -h now                 # Shutdown  
ifconfig                             # Show IP address  
ping google.com                      # Test internet connection  

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6. Enable SSH for Remote Access

1. Run:

   sudo systemctl enable ssh  
   sudo systemctl start ssh  
   

2. Connect via SSH (from another computer):

   ssh pi@<Raspberry_Pi_IP>  
   

   Default Login:

   • Username: pi
   • Password: raspberry

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7. GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output)

• 40-Pin Header (Raspberry Pi 4/3): Used for electronics and sensors.
• Voltage Levels:
  • 3.3V Logic (Pins can be damaged by 5V)
  • GPIO Pins: Control LEDs, read sensors.

Pinout Diagram (Important Pins):

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8. Basic Python GPIO Control

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO  
import time  

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)  # Use BCM pin numbering  
GPIO.setup(18, GPIO.OUT)  

while True:  
    GPIO.output(18, GPIO.HIGH)  # LED On  
    time.sleep(1)  
    GPIO.output(18, GPIO.LOW)   # LED Off  
    time.sleep(1)  

• Run Script:

  python3 led.py  
  

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9. Install and Update Software

sudo apt install python3-pip      # Install pip for Python 3  
sudo apt install git              # Install Git  
pip3 install flask                # Install Flask (Web Development)  

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10. Connecting to WiFi (CLI)

sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

Add:

network={
    ssid="Your_WiFi_Name"
    psk="Your_WiFi_Password"
}

Save and reboot:

sudo reboot  

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11. Install VNC (Remote Desktop)

sudo apt install realvnc-vnc-server  
sudo systemctl enable vncserver-x11-serviced  

• Access the Pi desktop from another computer using VNC Viewer.

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12. Basic Projects to Try

• LED Blinking
• Temperature Sensor (DS18B20)
• Web Server (Flask or Node-RED)
• Media Center (Install Kodi)
• Home Automation (Relays, Sensors)

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13. Camera Module (PiCam)

sudo raspi-config  

• Enable Camera Interface.
• Capture Image:

  raspistill -o image.jpg  
  

• Record Video:

  raspivid -o video.h264 -t 10000  # 10 seconds  
  

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14. I2C and SPI (For Sensors/Modules)

sudo raspi-config  

• Enable I2C or SPI under Interface Options.
• Install tools:

  sudo apt install i2c-tools  
  

• Detect I2C Devices:

  i2cdetect -y 1  
  

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15. Backup and Restore Raspberry Pi

• Backup SD Card (Linux/Mac):

  sudo dd if=/dev/sdX of=backup.img bs=4M  
  

• Restore Backup:

  sudo dd if=backup.img of=/dev/sdX bs=4M  
  

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16. Python Libraries for Raspberry Pi

• GPIO Control: RPi.GPIO
• Sensors (I2C): smbus2
• Web Development: Flask
• AI/ML: TensorFlow Lite
• GUI: tkinter

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Example Project: Temperature Logger

import Adafruit_DHT  
import time  

sensor = Adafruit_DHT.DHT11  
pin = 4  # GPIO pin  

while True:  
    humidity, temperature = Adafruit_DHT.read_retry(sensor, pin)  
    if humidity is not None and temperature is not None:  
        print(f"Temp: {temperature:.1f}C  Humidity: {humidity:.1f}%")  
    else:  
        print("Failed to retrieve data.")  
    time.sleep(2)