Responding to a button

Many applications using the Raspberry Pi require that actions are activated without requiring a keyboard and screen to be attached to it. The GPIO pins provide an excellent way for the Raspberry Pi to be controlled by your own buttons and switches without a mouse/keyboard and screen.

Getting ready

You will need the following equipment:

• 2 x DuPont female-to-male patch wires
• Mini breadboard (170 tie points) or a larger one
• Push-button switch (momentary close) or a wire connection to make/break the circuit
• Breadboard wire (solid core)
• 1K ohm resistor

The switches are as shown in the following diagram:

The push-button switch and other types of switch

Note

The switches used in the following examples are single-pole, single-throw (SPST), momentary close, push-button switches. Single pole (SP) means that there is one set of contacts that makes a connection. In the case of the push switch used here, the legs on each side are connected together with a single-pole switch in the middle...