Controlling external LEDs

In the last chapter, we looked at a quick blink recipe on how to control our on board LEDs. Now, the objective is to have an external LED on a breadboard blink. First, we will take a look at the circuit symbol of a basic LED so that we can recognize its proper usage, as shown in the following diagram:

The typical symbol for a light-emitting diode (LED)

In the following image, you will see what a real-life LED actually looks like. Not so straightforward as looking at the symbol, right?

Note

With LEDs, polarity matters to have a working circuit. Pay attention to the fact that the anode is the longer end, whereas the cathode is the shorter end. Although mixing them up will not cause any damage, the circuit will not work.

Getting ready

You'll need the following items to supplement your now happily perking BBB:

• LED: Just a plain vanilla, inexpensive LED is fine; this is the type you'll find for pennies at your local hobby store or online. You may already have a bunch...