For this chapter, the following software and hardware will be required.

Please download the following software if you want to follow along with the instructions in this chapter:

• Raspbian Stretch: Raspbian Stretch is the operating system (OS) that we will write to a microSD card. Stretch is the OS that will run our Raspberry Pi. It can be downloaded from https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/ This OS is developed specifically for the Raspberry Pi.
• Balena Etcher: This software will format the microSD card and write the Raspbian Stretch image to the microSD card. It can be downloaded from https://www.balena.io/etcher/.
• PuTTY: We will use PuTTY to connect our Raspberry Pi to a...

Raspberry Pi is a credit card sized, Linux-based minicomputer invented by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in 2012. The first Raspberry Pi model was called the Raspberry Pi 1B, which was then followed by the Model A. Raspberry Pi boards were initially intended to promote computer science programs in schools. However, their inexpensive hardware and free, open source software, quickly made the Raspberry Pi popular among hackers and robotics developers.

The Raspberry Pi can be used as a fully functional computer. It can be used to perform tasks such as browsing the internet, playing games, and watching HD videos, as well as creating Excel and Word documents. But what really differentiates it from a normal computer is its programmable GPIO pins. The Raspberry Pi consists of 40 digital I/O GPIO pins that can be programmed.

In simple terms, the Raspberry Pi...

To set up the Raspberry Pi 3B + and install the Raspbian OS on it, we will need various hardware and software components. The hardware components include the following:

• A laptop to install Raspbian OS on a microSD card.
• A keyboard.
• A mouse.
• An SD card—a minimum of an 8 GB memory card is more than sufficient, but with an 8 GB card, the default OS will occupy 50 percent of memory card space. Later on in this chapter, we will also install OpenCV on your Raspberry Pi, and since OpenCV will also occupy a lot of space on your memory card, you will need to uninstall some default software. So, I recommend you use a 16 GB or 32 GB memory card—with a 32 GB memory card, the default OS only occupies 15 percent of the card's space.
• An SD card reader.
• A display unit—this can be a computer monitor or TV, as long...

To connect the Raspberry Pi 3B+ wirelessly to a laptop via Wi-Fi, we first need to connect the RPi to a Wi-Fi network with a piece of software called PuTTY. After that, we can find out the IP address of the Raspberry Pi and enter that into a piece of software called VNC Viewer to connect the Raspberry Pi to a laptop. In order to perform this task successfully, the Raspberry Pi and laptop must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

The hardware required includes the following:

• An Ethernet cable: The Ethernet cable will be attached directly to the Ethernet port of the Raspberry Pi 3B+ and the Ethernet port of the laptop. If your laptop does not contain an Ethernet port, you will need to purchase a USB-to-Ethernet connector for your laptop.
• Micro USB B wire: This is a standard Micro USB B wire for connecting the Raspberry Pi...

As we've said, the Raspberry Pi Zero W is a stripped-down version of the Raspberry Pi 3B+. The Raspberry Pi Zero W has very limited connections, so in order to connect it to different peripherals, we will need to purchase some additional components. We will need the following hardware components:

• A keyboard
• A mouse
• A microSD card of minimum 8 GB (recommended 32 GB)
• A microSD card reader
• An HDMI cable
• A display unit, preferably an LED screen or a TV with an HDMI port
• A mobile charger or a power bank to power the Raspberry Pi

• A micro USB B-to-USB connector (also known as an OTG connector), which looks like the following:

• A mini HDMI-to-HDMI connector, as follows:

• A USB hub, as pictured here:

Now that we know what hardware we require, let's set up our Raspberry Pi Zero W.

When the Raspberry Pi Zero first came out in 2015, it didn't have a built-in Wi-Fi module, which made it difficult to connect to the internet. Some Raspberry Pi developers came up with useful hacks to connect the Raspberry Pi to the internet and some companies also created Ethernet and Wi-Fi modules for the Raspberry Pi Zero.

In 2017, however, the Raspberry Pi Zero W was launched. This had a built-in Wi-Fi module, which meant that Raspberry Pi developers no longer needed to perform any DIY hacks or purchase a separate component to add internet connectivity. Having built-in Wi-Fi also helps us to wirelessly connect the Raspberry Pi Zero W to a laptop. Let's take a look at how this can be done.

The process of connecting Raspberry Pi Zero W to a laptop's Wi-Fi is similar to that of Raspberry Pi 3B+. Since the...

In this chapter, we've looked at how to set up the Raspberry Pi 3B+ and the Raspberry Pi Zero W as a normal desktop computer. We also learned how to connect a Raspberry Pi to a laptop wirelessly via a Wi-Fi network. You can now control a Raspberry Pi remotely from your laptop without needing to connect the Raspberry Pi to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

In the next chapter, we will first look at some basic commands for maneuvering around the Raspberry Pi OS. We will install a C++ library called Wiring Pi onto our Raspberry Pi, and gain an understanding of the pin configurations for this library. Finally, we will write our first C++ program and upload it wirelessly to our Raspberry Pi.

1. Which processor is present on the Raspberry Pi 3B+?

2. How many GPIO pins are present on the Raspberry Pi 3B+?

3. Which software are we using for viewing the Raspberry Pi display output on our laptop?

4. What is the default username and password of a Raspberry Pi?

5. What is the command for accessing the configurations inside the Raspberry Pi?