There are several firmware versions available for programming the ESP32 and ESP8266 boards. We recommend using the uPyCraft IDE to program the ESP32 or ESP8266 board using MicroPython firmware. The uPyCraft IDE runs on all major operating systems. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to install uPyCraft IDE on a Windows PC.
If you’re using a different operating system, make sure you follow the right guide:
- Install uPyCraft IDE – Mac OS X Instructions
- Install uPyCraft IDE – Linux (Ubuntu 16.04) Instructions
After installing uPyCraft IDE on your PC, we recommend reading: Getting Started with MicroPython on ESP32 and ESP8266.
Installing Python 3.7.X – Windows PC
Make sure you have the most recent version of Python 3.7.X installed on your PC before installing uPyCraft IDE. If you don't, follow the instructions in the next section to install Python 3.7.X.
1. Go to the Python Downloads page at www.python.org/downloads and download the installation file.
2. After a few seconds, your PC should have a file called python-3.7.X.exe. To open the file, double-click it.
3. Enable the “Add Python 3.7 to PATH” option at the bottom. Then press the “Install Now” button:
4. Wait a few seconds while the software completes the installation process.
5. When it's finished, you should see the message “Setup was successful” and be able to close that window.
Installing uPyCraft IDE – Windows PC
As previously said, we will be using the uPyCraft IDE to program the ESP32 or ESP8266 boards with MicroPython firmware for this tutorial. In our view, the uPyCraft IDE was the most user-friendly way to program ESP-based boards using MicroPython at the time.
You can learn more about uPyCraft IDE on their GitHub repository or explore the uPyCraft IDE source code.
Downloading uPyCraft IDE for Windows
Click here to download uPyCraft IDE for Windows, After a few seconds, you should see a similar file (uPyCraft_VX.exe) in your Downloads folder:
Double-click that file. A new window opens with the uPyCraft IDE software:
We'll be using this software to flash our ESP-based boards with MicroPython firmware as well as program them.
Follow the next tutorial to flash your ESP boards with the MicroPython firmware:
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Conclusion
We hope you find this tutorial useful. This quick tutorial shows how to install uPyCraft IDE on a Windows PC. If you use a different operating system, you should read one of the following guides:
- Install uPyCraft IDE – Mac OS X Instructions
- Install uPyCraft IDE – Linux (Ubuntu 16.04) Instructions
If you like ESP8266, you may also like:
- Get MAC Address of ESP32/ESP8266 and Change It (Arduino IDE)
- ESP8266 NodeMCU Deep Sleep with Arduino IDE
- Build a Water Level Control System Using ESP8266 NodeMCU
- How to Post on Twitter using an ESP8266
We hope you find this tutorial useful. Thanks for reading.
