README.md
MicroPython port to ESP8266
This is an experimental port of MicroPython for the WiFi modules based on Espressif ESP8266 chip.
WARNING: The port is experimental and many APIs are subject to change.
Supported features include:
- REPL (Python prompt) over UART0.
- Garbage collector, exceptions.
- Unicode support.
- Builtin modules: gc, array, collections, io, struct, sys, esp, network, many more.
- Arbitrary-precision long integers and 30-bit precision floats.
- WiFi support.
- Sockets using modlwip.
- GPIO and bit-banging I2C, SPI support.
- 1-Wire and WS2812 (aka Neopixel) protocols support.
- Internal filesystem using the flash.
- WebREPL over WiFi from a browser (clients at https://github.com/micropython/webrepl).
- Modules for HTTP, MQTT, many other formats and protocols via https://github.com/micropython/micropython-lib .
Work-in-progress documentation is available at http://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/esp8266/ .
Build instructions
The tool chain required for the build is the OpenSource ESP SDK, which can be
found at https://github.com/pfalcon/esp-open-sdk. Clone this repository and
run make in its directory to build and install the SDK locally. Make sure
to add toolchain bin directory to your PATH. Read esp-open-sdk's README for
additional important information on toolchain setup.
Add the external dependencies to the MicroPython repository checkout:
$ git submodule update --init
See the README in the repository root for more information about external dependencies.
The MicroPython cross-compiler must be built to pre-compile some of the built-in scripts to bytecode. This can be done using:
$ make -C mpy-cross
Then, to build MicroPython for the ESP8266, just run:
$ cd esp8266
$ make axtls
$ make
This will produce binary images in the build/ subdirectory. If you install
MicroPython to your module for the first time, or after installing any other
firmware, you should erase flash completely:
esptool.py --port /dev/ttyXXX erase_flash
Erase flash also as a troubleshooting measure, if a module doesn't behave as expected.
To flash MicroPython image to your ESP8266, use:
$ make deploy
This will use the esptool.py script to download the images. You must have
your ESP module in the bootloader mode, and connected to a serial port on your PC.
The default serial port is /dev/ttyACM0, flash mode is qio and flash size is 8m.
To specify other values, use, eg:
$ make PORT=/dev/ttyUSB0 FLASH_MODE=qio FLASH_SIZE=8m deploy
The image produced is firmware-combined.bin, to be flashed at 0x00000.
First start
Serial prompt
You can access the REPL (Python prompt) over UART (the same as used for programming).
- Baudrate: 115200
WiFi
Initally, the device configures itself as a WiFi access point (AP).
- ESSID: MicroPython-xxxxxx (x’s are replaced with part of the MAC address).
- Password: micropythoN (note the upper-case N).
- IP address of the board: 192.168.4.1.
- DHCP-server is activated.
WebREPL
Python prompt over WiFi, connecting through a browser.
- Hosted at http://micropython.org/webrepl.
- GitHub repository https://github.com/micropython/webrepl.
Please follow the instructions there.
More detailed instructions can be found at http://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/esp8266/esp8266/tutorial/intro.html
Troubleshooting
While the port is still in alpha, it's known to be generally stable. If you experience strange bootloops, crashes, lockups, here's a list to check against:
- You didn't erase flash before programming MicroPython firmware.
- Firmware can be occasionally flashed incorrectly. Just retry. Recent esptool.py versions have --verify option.
- Power supply you use doesn't provide enough power for ESP8266 or isn't stable enough.
- A module/flash may be defective (not unheard of for cheap modules).
Please consult dedicated ESP8266 forums/resources for hardware-related problems.