Assuming GPIO is what you're expecting to work with, you don't need a breadboard to start building your project.
- Pick a programming language that has a decent GPIO wrapper. (Python is quite common)
- Implement your project by setting expectations for the output/input.
- Install
Wiring PI which provides you with a
utility for managing and checking the status of your GPIO pins.
- View the status using:
gpio readall
Once you receive your set, hook up the components and test.