MicroPython with the ESP32

Explore core differences between MicroPython and CPython, including stricter syntax rules, self keyword handling, formatting and string methods limitations, and non-raising json serialization errors, with pointers to official resources.

Explore MicroPython resources, from official documentation to community forums, and leverage libraries from Awesome MicroPython and the Python Package Index to accelerate ESP32 development.

Explore how MicroPython runs on diverse boards, from the original pinboard to ESP32 and ESP8266, Raspberry Pi pickle, and the BBC micro:bit, noting wifi, Bluetooth limitations, and available drivers.

Explore Thonny, an open source IDE, to program the ESP32 with MicroPython, install the interpreter, switch between MicroPython and other interpreters, and interact with the Python console.

Download and install the latest Sony editor beta from GitHub releases, and compare version 4 with version 3, noting Python 3.10 and Pipkin for macro Python on ESP32.

Install the MicroPython firmware on the ESP32 by downloading the stable 1.14 release from the MicroPython site and uploading it with Sony, then access the MicroPython prompt.

Upgrade the ESP32 dev kit to MicroPython 1.18 by downloading the latest stable release, erasing flash, updating firmware, and restoring your files, then test a GPIO 21 blink script.

Learn to fix a failed ESP32 firmware upload by holding the boot button during installation, and explore a cheap capacitor hack to enable boot mode.

Explore switching between Python interpreters across devices, from the built-in environment to MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico and Micro:bit, using the interpreter drop-down.

Learn to write a simple MicroPython program for the ESP32 and run it in the interactive shell or as a file on the device.

Explore Thonny IDE debugging features for general Python and desktop versions, contrasted with micro Python; learn about object inspector, heap and stack memory, and step over/into/out with Birds Eye debugger.

Learn to set up Thonny IDE with the Raspberry Pi Pico, run MicroPython, and toggle the pin connected to JP twenty five using the machine pin module.

Upgrade the Raspberry Pi Pico to MicroPython 1.18 by backing up its flash, then using Thonny to install the latest firmware in boot mode.

Explore how to run a micro:bit MicroPython program in Thonny and install firmware. Create a Hello world message that scrolls on the dot matrix using the display module and set_pixel.

Explore the ESP32 advanced configuration in Thonny, including syncing the RTC, UTC versus local time, and editing the data folder config file for time settings and three time-setting methods.

Find and install Python packages for MicroPython on the ESP32 using a built-in package manager and PyPI. Learn to search, view package details, and verify hardware compatibility before installation.

Learn to use the ESP32 micro python shell to run scripts, list directories, and execute files; upload and download code with Thony and control hardware via the machine module.

Learn to manage and transfer MicroPython files between your host computer and the ESP32 using Thonny's file manager, run scripts on the device, and perform bulk uploads and downloads.

Learn to organize MicroPython projects on the ESP32 by splitting code into modules, creating simple functions, importing libraries, and calling those functions to perform arithmetic operations and print results.

Learn to interrupt and restart a running MicroPython program on the ESP32 using soft resets, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-D, hard resets, and disconnecting, with auto start on boot.

Learn to run a MicroPython script at boot on the ESP32 by either embedding code in the boot file or importing a separate module, ensuring automatic execution on power-up.

Learn practical MicroPython debugging techniques for the ESP32, using print statements to trace values, read Python error messages, and interpret tracebacks to fix pin and function issues.

Explore the basics of Python and micro Python for microcontroller development, and learn core concepts like reserved keywords, variables, types, sequences, dictionaries, control structures, functions, and objects.

Discover how Python reserves keywords that cannot be used to declare variables, classes, or functions, and learn to distinguish reserved keywords from developer-defined names using code examples and syntax highlighting.

Discover how to document MicroPython code for the ESP32 with header block comments using triple quotes and inline # comments.

Explore built-in Python and MicroPython data types, including numbers, sequences, mappings, and exceptions, and learn type compatibility, casting, and basic operations across types.

Explore Python operators across numeric types, text, and lists, with arithmetic, concatenation, and counting examples. Learn about the operator module, its MicroPython availability, and how to install it for operations.

Explore how to print and format strings in MicroPython and Python, covering the string module, placeholders, escape sequences, and the format specification language.

Explore the three Python sequences—lists, tuples, and ranges—and learn how mutable lists differ from immutable tuples and how ranges provide count sequences in MicroPython on the ESP32.

Learn looping techniques in MicroPython on the ESP32 by iterating ranges, lists, tuples, and dictionaries with for loops, and printing items using range, items(), and key-value access.

Explore how if, elif, and else enable runtime decision making in MicroPython by evaluating user input with integer casting and a range of comparison operators, including chained expressions.

Define and use functions in MicroPython with the ESP32 to organize code, handle parameters and defaults, and return results from simple and named calls.

Explore classes and objects in MicroPython on the ESP32 by building a calculator class with add and subtract methods, including constructor initialization and instance state.

Learn how MicroPython on the ESP32 differs from CPython, with examples on spaces, constructor arguments, and traceback behavior, and consult the MicroPython documentation for details.

Discover how MicroPython modules work, including built-in and community modules, and how to import selectively for ESP32 RAM efficiency, for example, a 2x16 LCD with the LCD API module.

Discover MicroPython built-in modules, compare standard and micro libraries, and learn to import only needed ESP32-specific functions to optimize memory while accessing hardware with the machine module.

Explore how to find and evaluate MicroPython modules for ESP32 projects, compare LCD display libraries, and install chosen packages via a package manager, with guidance from Awesome MicroPython and PyPI.

Install external modules on the ESP32 with MicroPython by downloading a zip, transferring the module directory, and importing the operator module to use add and power.

Learn practical micro python on the ESP32 by blinking an LED in a loop, wiring a generic SB 32 board and exploring peripherals with Thonny.

Use a hardware timer in MicroPython on the ESP32 to blink an LED, replacing a while loop with a periodic timer and a callback ISR.

Fade an led with pwm on ESP32 using MicroPython, selecting pwm capable pins like GPIO 21, setting frequency and duty (0-1023), and looping with range to fade in and out.

read the button state on the esp32 with microPython, using an internal pull up and a loop, then three progressively efficient examples using the pin constructor and time.ticks_ms.

Discover how to read a button with a hardware interrupt on the ESP32, using IRQ on the falling edge, an ISR, and global variables to manage button presses efficiently.

Read the state of a button using a hardware timer and interrupt service routine with a 50 ms period, updating a global flag and turning on an LCD when pressed.

Learn to read a potentiometer with ESP32 using MicroPython, scale a 12-bit adc 0–4095 to 0–1023 with a 0.24 factor, convert to int, and update the output in a loop.

Use the DHT22 environment sensor with MicroPython on the ESP32, wiring it correctly, leveraging the built-in DHT driver, and performing periodic measurements to read temperature and humidity.

Learn to use a third-party MicroPython driver to connect the BME280 with the ESP32 via I2C, import the driver, and read temperature, humidity, and pressure.

Learn to read three-axis data from an analog accelerometer with MicroPython on the ESP32 using ADC with 11 dB attenuation and GPIO pins 34, 35, and 32, outputting readings.

Explore how to use the HC-SR04 ultrasonic distance sensor with MicroPython on the ESP32, including driver installation, wiring, and periodic centimeter distance measurements.

Explore wiring and software setup to drive a 2x16 LCD display with a PCF8574 I2C backpack on the ESP32 using hardware I2C, including essential libraries and a live counter display.

Switches from hardware I2C to software I2C for a 2x16 LCD display with PCF8574 on the ESP32, shows wiring changes and reuses the same MicroPython script.

Learn to drive a 0.96 inch SSD1306 OLED display from MicroPython on the ESP32, including wiring, a frame-buffer based driver, and drawing primitives like text, lines, boxes, and circles.

Drive a 1.3-inch OLED with the SH1106 controller over I2C using the hardware interface, initialize the display, print text, draw rectangles, and run a bouncing box animation.

Explore wiring and driving a 0.96-inch OLED with SSD1315 and SSD1306 controllers on the ESP32 via 3.3-volt supply using software I2C, rendering text, lines, and basic primitives in a loop.

Explore using neopixels with the ESP32 in MicroPython by importing the neopixel module, creating a pixel object, and individually addressing eight LEDs with RGB colors and simple animations.

Drive four max7219 8x8 matrix displays in a row with Esp32 using MicroPython and a max7219 driver, wiring SPI, and rendering random pixels with brightness control.

Learn to display text on the MAX7219 8x8 matrix using the text function, including four-letter strings, brightness and color settings, and the library’s fixed size and no-rotation limitations.

Learn to control a servo on ESP32 with MicroPython using map function to map 0–180 degrees to pwm values, wiring ground, 5 V, and a pwm pin at 50 Hz.

Control a five-volt dc motor with the DRV8871 via in1 for direction and in2 PWM for speed, powered at least 6.5 V and 5.5 V logic for UNO or ESP32.