Learn to program

Learning to program is interesting for everyone. Whether you are young or old, everyone can learn it. Using a wide range of example projects, we will explain how you too can take your first steps in this digital world.

Introduction

• Learn to Program: Arduino
• Learn to program Raspberry Pi

• Python (eg Raspberry Pi )
• C++ (including Arduino)
• JavaScript (including Micro:bit )
• PHP
• SQL
• Etc

There is a lot to find and tell about all these programming languages. However, at the moment of writing we will specifically focus on the languages that have to do with Arduino & Raspberry Pi . In the future there will be more explanation for Micro:bit and other languages.
Arduino is used if you want to control electronic components and read sensors. You can connect lights, motors, buttons and many more components. The Arduino is perfect for making simple electronic projects and robots. We program Arduino in the Arduino Programming Language. This programming language is a dialect of C++.
Raspberry Pi is a computer, we program it on the Raspberry Pi itself. Instead of via a separate computer like Arduino. On the Raspberry Pi you can use different programming languages. The most used is Python. But Scratch, HTML5, JavaScript and other languages are also good to use.

The Arduino works thanks to a microcontroller . A microcontroller is able to remember and execute a program. A big advantage of microcontrollers is that they consume little energy. You can even connect the Arduino Uno to a 9V block battery. Arduino comes out with a number of new boards every year. These come in different shapes and sizes. The Arduino Nano boards are the smallest boards that Arduino currently produces. These are ideal if you want to make a small device. Arduino has recently also started making boards for the industrial market. Such as the Arduino portenta h7 .

You can program the Arduino boards in the Arduino programming language, a dialect of C++. You do this by writing a program on the computer in the IDE or Arduino Create. Then you connect your Arduino board to the computer and upload the code to the Arduino. Once this is done and all components are connected properly, the Arduino will continue to execute the code until you disconnect the power.

On our website you will learn programming using example projects. Below you can click through to these example projects. If you want to get started with the Internet of Things (IoT) right away, you can look at our Arduino IoT manual.

Unlike the Arduino, a Raspberry Pi uses a microprocessor. These processors are normally used in computers and laptops. The processor must work together with separate chips such as RAM, Graphics controller, etc. to work. With the Raspberry Pi all these chips are on one board. The Raspberry Pi is therefore also called a single-board computer. The Raspberry Pi runs on an operating system that you write to an SD card . The most commonly used is Raspbian, this operating system was developed by Raspberry Pi itself and is constantly being improved. However, there are also hundreds of other operating systems available for the Raspberry Pi . Such as LibreElec kodi to play media. Or RetroPie to play old video games.

You can program the Raspberry Pi boards in Python or Scratch, for example. With Python, you actually have to write codes. With Scratch, you program using code blocks. These blocks each have a code built in. By linking multiple blocks together, you get a working code.

On our website you will learn programming using example projects. Below you can click through to these example projects.