The YDlidar is cheap and comes with some software for the PC.
Sorry, the discription is in Dutch, but the software usage is evident.
For connecting to a PC, I used the USB-board; when I use a microcontroller (Raspberry Pi, ESP or Arduino), I connect it directly. For ESP and Arduino I also use a (software) serial connection to the PC for debugging. Software can be extended (actions if distance too small). Careful though, the Arduino is only just fast enough (or maybe just not quite fast enough)...