Analog Data — Toolchain Setup Guide

MicroPython is a lean implementation of Python 3 designed to run on microcontrollers. It gives you the simplicity and readability of Python with direct access to hardware peripherals — GPIOs, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, and more.

What is MicroPython?

MicroPython compiles and runs Python code directly on a microcontroller's bare metal, without an operating system. It includes:

A Python 3 runtime (subset of CPython)
A REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) over serial — type Python commands live
A small filesystem to store and run .py files
Hardware modules: machine, network, utime, ujson, urequests
Platform-specific libraries for each supported chip

Supported Boards

Board	Chip	Notes
Raspberry Pi Pico	RP2040	Recommended beginner board
Raspberry Pi Pico W	RP2040 + CYW43	Pico with Wi-Fi
Raspberry Pi Pico 2	RP2350	Faster, more RAM
ESP32 / ESP32-S3 / ESP32-C3	Xtensa / RISC-V	Wi-Fi + BLE built-in
ESP8266	Xtensa	Legacy, low-cost
STM32 (select boards)	Cortex-M	`pyboard` variants

MicroPython vs. Arduino vs. ESP-IDF

Feature	MicroPython	Arduino	ESP-IDF
Language	Python	C/C++	C/C++
Setup complexity	Very easy	Easy	Moderate
Performance	Moderate	High	Highest
Memory footprint	Medium	Low	Low
Hardware access	Via `machine` module	Via Arduino API	Full direct access
RTOS	No (cooperative)	No	FreeRTOS
Best for	Rapid prototyping, learning	Simple projects	Production firmware

MicroPython Workflow

text

1. Write .py code → 2. Copy to board → 3. Code runs on boot

Or interactively via the REPL:

text

1. Connect serial → 2. Type Python → 3. Instant feedback

Development Tools

Tool	Type	Best For
Thonny	GUI IDE	Beginners, visual file manager
mpremote	CLI	Advanced users, automation
rshell	CLI	File management, scripting
VS Code + Pymakr	IDE extension	Professional workflow

Key MicroPython Modules

python

1# Hardware control
2from machine import Pin, ADC, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, Timer, WDT
3
4# Time
5import time
6import utime
7
8# Networking (ESP32 / Pico W)
9import network
10import urequests     # HTTP requests
11import ujson         # JSON parsing
12
13# File system
14import uos           # OS operations (ls, mkdir, etc.)
15import uio           # IO operations
16
17# Math and data
18import umath         # Math functions
19import ustruct       # Pack/unpack binary data
20import ubinascii     # Base64, hex encoding

MicroPython REPL Cheat Sheet

Connect to your board's serial port and you get an interactive Python shell:

python

1# Help
2help()              # General help
3help(machine)       # Module-specific help
4help(Pin)           # Class-specific help
5
6# Quick GPIO test without writing a file
7from machine import Pin
8p = Pin(2, Pin.OUT)
9p.on()              # LED on
10p.off()             # LED off
11p.toggle()          # Toggle
12
13# Check free memory
14import gc
15gc.collect()
16print(gc.mem_free())   # Available heap in bytes
17
18# List files on the board
19import uos
20uos.listdir('/')

Next Steps

Pick your setup guide:

Thonny IDE Setup → (Recommended for all users)
ESP32 — Flash & Connect →
mpremote CLI Guide →