What is the Raspberry Pi 4 Gpio Pinout and How is it Used
The General Purpose Input/Output, or GPIO, pinout on the Raspberry Pi 4 is a set of pins that you can control with software. Think of them as tiny digital switches and sensors that your Raspberry Pi can talk to. You can tell these pins to be "on" or "off" (digital output), or you can read whether something else has turned them "on" or "off" (digital input). Beyond simple on/off signals, some GPIO pins also support more advanced communication protocols, enabling your Raspberry Pi to talk to a wider range of electronic components. These pins are absolutely essential for any project that involves interacting with the real world. Here's a breakdown of what you can do with the GPIO pins:- Digital Output: Turn on LEDs, control relays to switch higher power devices, or send signals to other electronic components.
- Digital Input: Read signals from buttons, switches, or sensors like motion detectors and light sensors.
- Analog Input (with an Analog-to-Digital Converter or ADC): While the Raspberry Pi 4 itself doesn't have built-in analog inputs, you can easily add an external ADC to read analog signals from components like potentiometers or analog sensors.
- Communication Protocols: Use pins for protocols like I2C and SPI to communicate with more complex devices such as displays, memory chips, and specialized sensors.
| Pin Number | Function |
|---|---|
| 1 (3.3V) | Power Output (3.3 Volts) |
| 2 (5V) | Power Output (5 Volts) |
| 3 (GPIO2) | General Purpose Input/Output (I2C SDA) |
| 4 (GND) | Ground |
| 5 (GPIO3) | General Purpose Input/Output (I2C SCL) |
| 6 (GND) | Ground |