A minimal program gives you fewer things to reason about. Before integrating an application, establish that you can program the device, reach your entry point, and control a known output.
For an LED, trace the schematic first: which pin drives it, and is it active high or active low? Follow the device documentation for clock and pin configuration. Keep the initial program small enough that you can explain every step.
A blink doesn’t verify the whole board. It gives you a concrete baseline to return to when the next layer adds uncertainty.