Add comprehensive essential knowledge documentation for .NET IoT newcomers

[Copilot]

Addresses #2262 by creating structured documentation for essential IoT concepts that were previously scattered or missing, reducing onboarding friction for new users.

Documentation Structure

Created four organizational directories:

• fundamentals/ - Core concepts (GPIO basics, protocol comparison, driver selection, signal debouncing, datasheet reading)
• protocols/ - Setup guides for I2C, SPI, PWM, UART/RS232/RS485, and libgpiod
• platforms/ - Platform-specific guides (Raspberry Pi 5 GPIO chip changes)
• deployment/ - Docker containers, systemd services, cross-compilation

Key Additions

Getting Started

• getting-started.md - 5-minute LED blink tutorial with clear prerequisites and next steps

Fundamentals (5 new guides)

• GPIO pin modes, pull-up/pull-down resistors, interrupts
• Protocol decision guide (I2C vs SPI vs UART vs PWM with comparison table)
• Driver selection (libgpiod vs sysfs, auto-detection, performance comparison)
• Signal debouncing patterns with multiple implementation approaches
• Datasheet reading guide (extracting register maps, timing, electrical specs)

Protocols

• Reorganized existing I2C/SPI/PWM docs into protocols/ directory
• New: Comprehensive UART/Serial guide covering RS232/RS485, baud rates, flow control

Reference

• glossary.md - IoT/electronics terminology (150+ terms)
• troubleshooting.md - Diagnostic decision trees for GPIO, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM failures
• iot-project-setup.md - Project creation with .NET CLI and Visual Studio, including DI patterns

Platform-Specific

• Raspberry Pi 5 guide highlighting critical GPIO chip number change (gpiochip0 → gpiochip4)

Deployment

• Docker container guide with rootless security best practices and hardware device mounting

Updated Main README

Reorganized Documentation/README.md with progressive learning path:

1. Getting started → 2. Fundamentals → 3. Protocol setup → 4. Project creation → 5. Deployment

Simplified navigation hierarchy by moving "Learn the Fundamentals" directly under "New to .NET IoT? Start Here!" section for cleaner, more professional documentation structure.

Documentation Style

All documentation follows professional formatting standards:

• Removed unicode emojis from all section titles and content (92 instances across 10 files)
• Consistent use of plain text formatting for checkmarks, warnings, and emphasis
• Clean, professional appearance suitable for technical documentation

Example: Before vs After

Before: User searches through scattered docs to understand why button presses register multiple times.

After: User finds answer in two clicks:

1. README.md → Troubleshooting
2. troubleshooting.md → "Button Presses Register Multiple Times" → Links to fundamentals/debouncing.md

Complete code examples provided:

const int debounceMs = 50;
DateTime lastPress = DateTime.MinValue;

controller.RegisterCallbackForPinValueChangedEvent(pin, PinEventTypes.Falling,
    (sender, args) =>
    {
        if ((DateTime.UtcNow - lastPress).TotalMilliseconds >= debounceMs)
        {
            lastPress = DateTime.UtcNow;
            // Handle button press
        }
    });

Metrics

• 18 documentation files created/reorganized
• 16,800+ words of technical content
• 50+ complete C# code examples
• All checklist items from Raspberry Pi 5 -> GPIO Package Can it Support as of Today ???? #2262 addressed
• Professional formatting with no unicode emojis for consistency

Original prompt

---

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Creating the documentation with the essential knowledge (or links)</issue_title>
<issue_description>In the triage we observed questions on topics that can be considered essential knowledge to know when interfacing devices and sensors with our library.
We all agreed that it would be important creating one or more documents providing the «essentials» concepts useful for every user. This documentation is meant to collect only the topics that are not related to specific bindings.
These are the topics I suggest to include:

• How to setup and diagnose (this should include how to change the default pins for the peripheral)
  • I2C - https://github.com/dotnet/iot/blob/main/Documentation/raspi-i2c.md
  • SPI - https://github.com/dotnet/iot/blob/main/Documentation/raspi-spi.md
  • PWM - https://github.com/dotnet/iot/blob/main/Documentation/raspi-pwm.md
  • rs232, rs485
• Creating an IoT project (including the CLI/VS alternative procedures).
• Choosing the right driver (libpiod vs sysfs and why)
• How to run the IoT app in a container (a doc on this topic already exists)
• Debouncing a signal (see Jitter on PIN Rising and Falling on GPIO Pin callback #2260 (comment) and other comments). This should not be tied to the Button binding.
• Raspberry Pi 5 docs
• Instructions how to use docker with .NET IoT (see Add instructions on how to samples inside a docker container #764) - we can likely move instructions from https://github.com/dotnet/iot/blob/main/samples/led-blink/README.md#running-in-containers

Please feel free to add other topics or suggest removing one or more of the above list.
</issue_description>

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)

@krwq Here is what copilot came up with:

Documentation Strategy for Newbies

I'd like to suggest a comprehensive strategy to make the IoT library more accessible to newcomers:

1. Create a "Getting Started" Landing Page

Build a central Documentation/getting-started.md that serves as the main entry point for new users:

• Quick Start: A 5-minute "Hello World" example (blink an LED)
• Prerequisites: Hardware requirements, .NET installation, supported platforms
• Common Pitfalls: Permission issues, GPIO access, common error messages
• Navigation: Clear links to all essential topics below

2. Organize Documentation by User Journey

Structure documentation to match how users actually learn:

Phase 1: Setup (Day 1)

• Hardware setup and verification
• Permissions and GPIO access troubleshooting
• First successful program

Phase 2: Understanding Fundamentals (Week 1)

• GPIO basics (input/output, pull-up/pull-down resistors)
• Understanding protocols: When to use I2C vs SPI vs UART
• Driver selection guide (libgpiod vs sysfs)
• Reading datasheets and wiring diagrams

Phase 3: Common Patterns (Week 2-4)

• Debouncing signals (not tied to specific binding)
• Handling interrupts and events
• Power management considerations
• Error handling best practices

Phase 4: Production (Advanced)

• Deployment strategies
• Container usage
• Performance optimization
• Hardware debugging tools

3. Add Practical Elements to Each Doc

Each documentation page should include:

• Prerequisites: What you need to know/have before starting
• Step-by-step instructions: With expected output at each step
• Troubleshooting section: Common errors and solutions
• Verification: How to confirm it's working correctly
• Next steps: Where to go from here

4. Create Protocol-Specific Guides

Expand the existing I2C/SPI/PWM docs to include:

• What is it?: Brief explanation for absolute beginners
• When to use it?: Comparison with alternatives
• How to verify it works: Using command-line tools (i2cdetect, etc.)
• Common issues: With specific error messages and fixes
• Pin configuration: Including alternatives and conflicts

Missing protocol docs to add:

• UART/Serial (RS232/RS485)
• 1-Wire
• GPIO basics (digital input/output fundamentals)

5. Interactive Troubleshooting Guide

Create Documentation/troubleshooting.md with:

• Decision tree format: "Are you seeing error X? Try Y"
• Diagnostic commands to run
• Log interpretation guide
• Platform-specific issues (Raspberry Pi vs others)

6. Glossary and Concepts

Add Documentation/glossary.md with:

• Pull-up/pull-down resistors
• Active high/low
• Open drain/collector
• Voltage levels (3.3V vs 5V)
• Common abbreviations (GPIO, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, etc.)

7. Platform-Specific Quickstart Guides

Create quick reference pages:

• Documentation/platforms/raspberry-pi-5.md (already tracked in Raspberry Pi 5 -> GPIO Package Can it Support as of Today ???? #2262)
• Documentation/platforms/raspberry-pi-4.md
• Documentation/platforms/orange-pi.md
• etc.

Each should include: GPIO pin...

• Fixes Creating the documentation with the essential knowledge (or links) #2261

---

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Microsoft Reviewers: Open in CodeFlow

[krwq]

@copilot remove unicode emojis from the title
also please just remove "Essential Knowledge for Newcomers" - "Learn the Fundamentals" can go directly under "New to .NET IoT? Start Here!"

[Copilot]

Done in commit b6fbe45. Removed all unicode emojis from section titles and moved "Learn the Fundamentals" directly under "New to .NET IoT? Start Here!" by removing the "Essential Knowledge for Newcomers" section.

[krwq]

@copilot thanks, please proceed with similar changes in all the other files in this pull request

[Copilot]

Done in commit e571139. Removed all unicode emojis (🎉 ✅ ❌ ⚠️) from 9 documentation files across the PR:

• getting-started.md
• fundamentals/choosing-drivers.md
• fundamentals/debouncing.md
• fundamentals/reading-datasheets.md
• fundamentals/understanding-protocols.md
• protocols/uart.md
• deployment/containers.md
• troubleshooting.md
• iot-project-setup.md

Total of 92 emoji instances removed for consistent, professional documentation style.