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Guide · Open source

How to use IoT-For-Beginners: clone, follow the lessons and build

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

IoT-For-Beginners is a free, MIT-licensed curriculum from Microsoft that teaches the basics of the Internet of Things, where small connected devices sense and respond to their environment. It is written in Jupyter Notebook and organized as 24 lessons over 12 weeks. This guide shows you how to get the material onto your computer and how to work through it so you can build the projects yourself.

IoT-For-Beginnersmicrosoft/IoT-For-Beginners · ★ 17.2k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Fork the repository. Fork microsoft/IoT-For-Beginners on GitHub so you have your own copy.
  2. 2Clone it. Run the git clone command for the full repository, or the sparse checkout command to skip the translations.
  3. 3Open the first lesson. Go to the lesson folders and open the README for the first lesson.
  4. 4Take the pre-lecture quiz. Answer the pre-lesson quiz to see what you already know.
  5. 5Read and build. Read the lecture and complete the activities, building the project from the lesson rather than copying the solution.
  6. 6Check and submit. Compare your work with the /solutions folder, then complete the assignment and post-lesson quiz.

What does the IoT-For-Beginners course cover?

The course is a 12-week, 24-lesson curriculum about IoT basics. Each lesson includes pre- and post-lesson quizzes, written instructions, a solution, and an assignment.

The projects follow the journey of food from farm to table. They cover farming, logistics, manufacturing, retail and consumer, which the authors describe as popular industry areas for IoT devices.

  • Pre-lesson and post-lesson quizzes
  • Written instructions for each lesson
  • A solution for each project-oriented lesson
  • An assignment in each lesson

How do you get the repository onto your computer?

The README's first step is to fork the repository, then clone it. To clone the full repository, run the clone command below.

The repository includes 50+ language translations, which increases the download size. To skip the translations, use a sparse checkout. The README gives separate commands for Bash (macOS and Linux) and for CMD on Windows.

  • Full clone: use the git clone command shown below.
  • Without translations (Bash, macOS or Linux): run the sparse checkout command shown below, then cd into the folder.
  • Without translations (CMD, Windows): the README provides a CMD version using double quotes around the sparse-checkout paths.
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/IoT-For-Beginners.git

How do you clone without translations?

Use a sparse checkout to download everything except the translations and translated_images folders. The README says this gives you everything you need to complete the course with a much faster download.

After cloning, enter the folder and set the sparse checkout rules as shown in the README.

git clone --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/microsoft/IoT-For-Beginners.git cd IoT-For-Beginners git sparse-checkout set --no-cone '/*' '!translations' '!translated_images'

How should you work through a lesson?

The README suggests starting with the pre-lecture quiz, then reading the lecture and completing the remaining activities. Try to build the projects by understanding the lessons rather than copying the solution code.

The solution code is in the /solutions folders inside each project-oriented lesson. Use it to check your work after you have tried the assignment yourself. The README also suggests forming a study group to go through the content together.

  • Start with the pre-lecture quiz.
  • Read the lesson and complete the activities.
  • Build the project from the lesson instructions.
  • Check your work against the /solutions folder.
  • Complete the assignment and the post-lesson quiz.

Where can you get help and further study?

The README links to the Microsoft Foundry Discord, where learners and developers discuss questions, and to the Microsoft Foundry Developer Forum for product feedback or errors. It also recommends Microsoft Learn for further study.

Teachers can read the for-teachers.md file for suggestions on using the curriculum, and can use the lesson-template folder to create their own lessons.

  • Discord: https://discord.gg/nTYy5BXMWG
  • Developer forum: https://aka.ms/foundry/forum
  • Teachers: for-teachers.md
  • Own lessons: lesson-template/README.md

What people use it for

  • A student working through a structured IoT course over one term
  • A self-learner building a food-to-table IoT project one lesson at a time
  • A teacher adapting the lesson outline for a classroom course
  • A developer new to microcontrollers and Raspberry Pi learning the basics

Frequently asked questions

Is IoT-For-Beginners free?

Yes. The repository is published under the MIT licence, and the README presents it as a free curriculum from Microsoft. The source does not list any prices.

What license does IoT-For-Beginners use?

The repository is licensed under MIT, as shown by the license badge and the LICENSE link in the README. You can check the LICENSE file in the repository for the full terms.

Do I need any prerequisites to use IoT-For-Beginners?

The source does not list any prerequisites. It does say the course is aimed at beginners and that the projects use microcontrollers and Raspberry Pi, so those are the hardware areas you will meet.

How long does the IoT-For-Beginners course take?

The course is designed as 12 weeks with 24 lessons. It is a full curriculum, so it suits a structured study plan rather than a quick reference.

Can I just copy the solution code?

You can, since the solutions are in the /solutions folders. The README encourages you to build the projects by understanding the lessons instead of copying the solution code.

Is there an alternative to IoT-For-Beginners?

The source does not name any comparable projects, so it cannot make a comparison. Experienced IoT engineers should note that the material is aimed at beginners.

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Our verdict

IoT-For-Beginners suits students, self-learners and teachers who want a structured, project-based introduction to IoT with quizzes and assignments. It is less suitable if you want a short reference, finished code to copy, or material for experienced IoT engineers.

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