Quick Start with Google Colab

This page introduces a Google Colab notebook designed to help you get started with the Pi2 image processing library quickly and easily, without the need for a local installation.

Why Use the Pi2 Colab Notebook?

Setting up a development environment with C++ dependencies can sometimes be challenging. The Pi2 Colab notebook offers several advantages:

Zero Local Installation: All dependencies and the Pi2 library itself are compiled and run within the Google Colab cloud environment. You only need a web browser.
Pre-Configured: The notebook guides you through installing necessary Linux packages and compiling Pi2 specifically for the Colab environment.
Persistent Storage with Google Drive: Your compiled Pi2 library and any processed image data can be saved to your Google Drive, making them available across sessions.
Focus on Learning and Experimentation: Spend less time on setup and more time exploring Pi2’s capabilities.
Reproducible Environment: Ideal for sharing work or ensuring consistent results across different users.

Get Started with the Notebook

The Pi2 Colab notebook itself contains all the step-by-step instructions and executable code cells. It is divided into two main parts:

First-Time Setup: This section is run only once to compile the Pi2 library and save it to your Google Drive.
Session Startup: These cells are run at the beginning of every subsequent Colab session to load your pre-compiled Pi2 library and prepare the environment.

Access the Notebook:

You can open or download the Pi2 Quick Start notebook here: Pi2 Colab notebook

What You’ll Do in the Notebook

Within the Pi2 Colab notebook, you will be guided through:

Mounting your Google Drive.
Installing essential Linux dependencies (for compilation).
Cloning the Pi2 repository from GitHub.
Compiling the Pi2 C++ library and Python bindings (first-time only).
Adding the compiled library to your Python path for each session.
Importing and initializing Pi2.
Running basic example Pi2 pipelines, such as image loading, binning, and saving.

The notebook’s markdown cells provide detailed explanations for each step.

After setting up in Colab

Once you have completed the “First-Time Setup” in the Colab notebook, you will have a functional Pi2 environment accessible with a few quick “Session Startup” steps each time you use Colab. You can then adapt the example pipelines or write your own Pi2 scripts directly within the notebook.

This approach allows you to leverage the full power of Pi2 for your image processing tasks using only a web browser.