Simple electronics with GPIO Zero: Take control of the real world with your Raspberry Pi

by Phil King

Overview

There are many things that distinguish Raspberry Pi from other computers. The GPIO header might just be the most significant of them all — it allows you to connect electronic components to your Raspberry Pi and control them with code you've written yourself.

The most popular programming language for controlling electronics on a Raspberry Pi is Python, particularly the code in the GPIO Zero library, which you can use to control LEDs, sensors, motors, and many more components.

With this book, you’ll learn how to use GPIO Zero as you build a series of simple electronics projects:

• Program some LED lights
• Add a push button to your project
• Build a motion-sensing alarm
• Create your own distance rangefinder
• Make a laser-powered tripwire
• Build a Raspberry Pi robot

The GPIO pins on your Raspberry Pi open up a whole new world of possibilities — specifically, the physical world around you. It may seem daunting at first, but you'll be creating electronic circuits and controlling them with code before you know it. Grab your breadboard and start taking control of the real world with your Raspberry Pi today!

Updated for the latest Raspberry Pi devices, this book has all the information you need to get started.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781916868441
Publisher:	Raspberry Pi Press
Publication date:	07/29/2025
Series:	Essentials
Edition description:	2nd
Pages:	132
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Phil King is a Raspberry Pi enthusiast and regular contributor to The MagPi magazine. Growing up in the 'golden era' of 8-bit computers in the 1980s, he leapt at the chance to write about them in magazines such as CRASH and ZZAP!64. When consoles took over the video games world, he missed the opportunity to program... until the Raspberry Pi came along. Phil is now an avid coder and electronics dabbler, who loves to work on projects with his six-year‑old son.

Table of Contents

1. Get started with electronics and GPIO Zero
2. Control LEDs with GPIO Zero
3. User input with a push button
4. Make a push button music box
5. Measure CPU usage with an RGB LED
6. Make a motion-sensing alarm
7. Make a range finder
8. Make a laser tripwire
9. Build an internet radio
10. Create an LED thermometer
11. Build a GPIO Zero robot
12. Appendices:
    • Output devices
    • Input devices
    • SPI devices
    • Boards, accessories, and system devices