Infographic: Raspberry Pico 1 vs. Pico 2 NotebookLM

Difference between the Raspberry Pico and the Raspberry Pico W

The main difference between the Raspberry Pi Pico and the Raspberry Pi Pico W is wireless connectivity.

Here's a breakdown:

Raspberry Pi Pico:

• No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
• More affordable
• Slightly smaller footprint
• Ideal for projects that don't need internet access (e.g., robotics, data logging)

Raspberry Pi Pico W:

• Built-in Wi-Fi 4.2 chip (802.11 b/g/n)
• More expensive than the Pico
• Slightly larger footprint due to the Wi-Fi chip
• Perfect for projects requiring internet access (e.g., IoT devices, remote control, data transmission)

Other minor differences:

• Pin configuration: The Pico W has a slightly different pin configuration for one GPIO pin (GP0) due to the Wi-Fi chip. However, this shouldn't affect most projects.
• Onboard LED: The onboard LED is connected differently on the Pico W, but you can still use it for blinking and other simple tasks.
• Debug header: The debug header is repositioned slightly on the Pico W due to the Wi-Fi chip placement.

Choosing the right Pico:

If you need wireless connectivity for your project, the Pico W is the obvious choice. But if you prioritize cost, size, or don't need internet access, the standard Pico is a good option.

Why Raspberry Pico and Thonny IDE

Raspberry Pico is a tiny, low-cost microcontroller board designed for DIY projects and programming. Thonny is a free, beginner-friendly Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python programming. In this blog, we will discuss how to code the Raspberry Pico using Thonny.

Step 1: Install Thonny Thonny can be downloaded and installed from the Thonny website. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Once installed, launch Thonny and select the Raspberry Pico as the device to be used.

Step 2: Connect the Raspberry Pico Connect the Raspberry Pico to your computer using a USB cable. Thonny will automatically detect the device and display its status in the status bar.

Step 3: Write Your First Program In Thonny, click on File > New to create a new Python script. Enter the following code to make an internal LED blink:

CODE Raspberry Pi Pico:

from machine import Pin import time led = Pin(25, Pin.OUT) while True: led.value(not led.value()) time.sleep(1)

Raspberry Pi Pico

CODE Raspberry Pi Pico W:

from machine import Pin import time led = Pin("LED", Pin.OUT) while True: led.value(not led.value()) time.sleep(1)

Raspberry Pi Pico W

Step 4: Upload the Code

Save the script and click on Run > Run current script to upload the code to the Raspberry Pico. You should see the LED start to blink.

Step 5: Debugging Thonny provides an easy-to-use debugger that allows you to inspect variables and step through your code. To access the debugger, click on Debug > Debug current script.

Step 6: Interacting with Hardware The Raspberry Pico has a variety of digital and analog inputs and outputs that can be used to interface with sensors, actuators, and other devices. The machine module provides a simple API for working with these hardware components.

In conclusion, Thonny is a great tool for programming the Raspberry Pico and Pico W, making it easy to write, upload, and debug code. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced programmer, Thonny provides a user-friendly environment for exploring the capabilities of the Raspberry Pico and bringing your projects to life.