Using TinyGo on a Raspberry Pi Pico

1. Download and Install TinyGo

• Download TinyGo: Visit the official TinyGo website. Choose the installation method suitable for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
• Install TinyGo: Follow the installation instructions provided on the website for your platform. Typically, you can install TinyGo via package managers like brew for macOS, apt for Linux, or directly from the release binaries.

For Linux (e.g., Ubuntu/Debian):

wget https://github.com/tinygo-org/tinygo/releases/download/v0.28.1/tinygo_0.28.1_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i tinygo_0.28.1_amd64.deb

• Set Environment Variables: Add the TinyGo installation directory to your system's PATH and set the GOROOT environment variable. For example:

  export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/tinygo/bin
  export GOROOT=/usr/local/go

2. Compiling a Program

• Write a Program: Create a simple main.go file:

  package main
  
  import "machine"
  import "time"
  
  func main() {
      led := machine.LED
      led.Configure(machine.PinConfig{Mode: machine.PinOutput})
  
      for {
          led.High()
          time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 500)
          led.Low()
          time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 500)
      }
  }

• Compile with TinyGo: To compile the Go program for the Raspberry Pi Pico, run:

  tinygo build -o firmware.uf2 -target=pico main.go

  This command generates a firmware.uf2 file compatible with the Pico.

3. Uploading to Raspberry Pi Pico

• Put Pico in Bootloader Mode: Hold down the BOOTSEL button on the Pico, then plug it into your computer. Release the button once connected. The Pico will mount as a USB storage device.
• Upload the Firmware: Copy the generated firmware.uf2 file to the mounted Pico drive. Once copied, the Pico will reboot and start running the program.

4. Example Programs

• Blink an LED: The provided code example makes the onboard LED blink every half a second.

• Button Control: Extend the example by reading a button input to control the LED.

  button := machine.BUTTON
  button.Configure(machine.PinConfig{Mode: machine.PinInputPullup})
  
  for {
      if !button.Get() {
          led.High()
      } else {
          led.Low()
      }
      time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 10)
  }

This setup lets you quickly develop and deploy Go programs on a Raspberry Pi Pico using TinyGo, making it a powerful tool for microcontroller projects.