Getting Started With CircuitPython On Compatible Microcontroller Boards
This tutorial will teach you how to get up and running with CircuitPython on a compatible microcontroller board. A basic understanding of electronics and programming is preferred, but not required.
I am using Adafruit’s Feather M4 Express microcontroller board connected to a macOS based computer with the Mu Python editor for this tutorial. If you are using a different CircuitPython compatible board, computer setup, or code editor, the vast majority of this tutorial should still apply, however, some minor changes may be necessary.
If you need assistance with your particular setup, post a question in the comments section below and I, or someone else, can try to help you.
If you are a fan of the Python programming language and enjoy tinkering with electronics, you will certainly love CircuitPython. It is an open source programming language developed and maintained by Adafruit. According to Adafruit, it was “designed to simplify experimenting and learning to code on low-cost microcontroller boards”. It is “the easiest way to program microcontrollers”.
When a CircuitPython compatible microcontroller board is plugged into your host computer’s USB port, it will appear as a flash disk drive. Just drag your source code to the drive and it will run automatically. Any code edits are also run automatically when files are saved. There is no need to compile your programs or run any special tools. It just works!
