What Is a Single-Board Computer? (Pi vs. Microcontroller)
Understand the difference between a Raspberry Pi, a Pico, an ESP32 and an Arduino before you buy anything.
Every build on this site uses one of two kinds of brains. A single-board computer (SBC) like the Raspberry Pi runs a full operating system — Linux, a desktop, Wi-Fi, Python, cameras. A microcontroller (MCU) like the Pico, ESP32 or Arduino runs one small program instantly at power-on, uses tiny amounts of power and reacts in microseconds. Knowing which one a project needs saves you money and frustration.
Video tutorial
Video by DigiKey, embedded from YouTube. The written steps below are our own and match the parts list.
Mission steps
Meet the SBC
A Raspberry Pi is a real computer: a quad-core processor, gigabytes of RAM, USB, HDMI, networking and a 40-pin GPIO header for electronics. It boots Linux from a microSD card or SSD in about 20 seconds.
Meet the microcontroller
A Pico or ESP32 has no operating system. You upload one program, and it runs forever the moment power arrives. It can sleep on a coin of battery for months and switch pins with precise timing.
When to choose a Pi
Pick a Pi when you need a camera, AI, a screen, a web server, heavy Python libraries or lots of storage — robots that see, media servers, retro consoles.
When to choose an MCU
Pick a microcontroller for battery sensors, LED effects, motor timing, keyboards and anything that must start instantly or run for months on batteries.
The pro move: use both
Many advanced builds pair them. On a drone, a flight controller (an MCU) keeps the aircraft stable while a Pi on board handles the camera and mission planning. You will build exactly that later.
Questions
Is Arduino better than Raspberry Pi?
Neither is better — they do different jobs. Arduino and other MCUs control hardware directly; the Pi is a full computer. Most makers end up owning both.
Do I need to know programming first?
No. The Academy teaches the Linux command line and Python step by step, starting with copy-and-paste examples.