Pinout.XYZ
Every single Raspberry Pi HAT, pHAT, wHAT, Bonnet and Shim
28 May 20235 minute read
By Kevin McAleer
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Every single Raspberry Pi HAT, pHAT, wHAT, Bonnet and Shim
28 May 2023
By Kevin McAleer
Share this article on
Watch the associated video here:
If you’ve ever wanted to know what the pinouts are on the Raspberry Pi’s 40 pin header, then look no further than pinout.xyz.
The Pinout.xyz site is developed and maintained by Phil Howard, and is completely free to use.
The really cool thing about the pinout.xyz website is that it has the largest collection of links to Raspberry Pi Hats, pHats, wHats, Bonnets and shims that you’ll find anywhere else on the internet.
There are a couple of different types of HAT; here is a definition for each type.
Term | Description |
---|---|
HAT | Hardware Attached on Top |
HATs are add-on boards that conform to a specific set of standards defined by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. | |
HATs have a specific size and form factor, designed to fit perfectly on top of the Raspberry Pi model B+ and later models. | |
HATs include a small EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) chip that allows the Raspberry Pi to automatically configure itself to work with the HAT. | |
Phat | Partial Hardware Attached on Top |
pHATs, sometimes called ‘bonnets’ by some manufacturers, are similar to HATs but are designed to fit the smaller form factor of the Raspberry Pi Zero. However, they can still be used with any model of Raspberry Pi. | |
They adhere to the HAT specifications except for the size - they are typically half the size of a standard HAT. | |
Like HATs, pHATs can also contain an EEPROM chip for automatic configuration, although it’s not a strict requirement. | |
wHat | Wireless Hardware Attached on Top |
wHATs are a relatively new and less formalized category of Raspberry Pi add-on boards, designed with a focus on providing wireless capabilities. | |
They are typically used for wireless communication purposes, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, etc. | |
Shim | Shim |
Shims are slim, typically simple, boards that are designed to fit between the Raspberry Pi and a HAT. | |
They are used for various purposes such as providing additional functionality, solving compatibility issues, or protecting the Raspberry Pi’s GPIO pins. | |
Unlike HATs, pHATs, and wHATs, shims don’t conform to a specific standard. They can vary greatly in size, functionality, and design. |
Please note that the categorizations of add-on boards may vary between manufacturers, and not all follow the same standards or naming conventions. Always check the specific details and compatibility when purchasing an add-on board for your Raspberry Pi.
Kevin McAleer
I build robots, bring them to life with code, and have a whole load of fun along the way
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