 Logo of the Blinka library, a compatibility layer for CircuitPython | |
| Original author(s) | Adafruit Industries |
|---|---|
| Initial release | July 19, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-07-19) |
| Stable release | 9.2.1 
/ 20 November 2024; 29 days ago (20 November 2024) |
| Repository | https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython |
| Written in | C |
| Platform | Supported microcontrollers and single-board computers |
| Type | Python implementation |
| License | MIT license |
| Website | circuitpython |
CircuitPython is an open-source derivative of the MicroPython programming language targeted toward students and beginners. Development of CircuitPython is supported by Adafruit Industries. It is a software implementation of the Python 3 programming language, written in C. It has been ported to run on several modern microcontrollers.
CircuitPython consists of a Python compiler to bytecode and a runtime interpreter of that bytecode that runs on the microcontroller hardware. The user is presented with an interactive prompt (the REPL) to execute supported commands immediately. Included are a selection of core Python libraries. CircuitPython includes modules which give the programmer access to the low-level hardware of supported products as well as higher-level libraries for beginners.
CircuitPython is a fork of MicroPython, originally created by Damien George. The MicroPython community continues to discuss forks of MicroPython into variants such as CircuitPython.
CircuitPython is targeted to be compliant with CPython, the reference implementation of the Python programming language. Programs written for CircuitPython-compatible boards may not run unmodified on other platforms such as the Raspberry Pi.
Usage
CircuitPython is being used as an emerging alternative solution for microcontroller programming, which is usually done in C, C++, or assembly. The language has also seen uptake in making small, handheld video game devices. Developer Chris Young has ported his infrared transmit-and-receive software to CircuitPython to provide interactivity and to aid those with accessibility issues.
Community
The user community support includes a Discord chat room and product support forums. A Twitter account dedicated to CircuitPython news was established in 2018. A newsletter, Python on Microcontrollers, is published weekly since 15 November, 2016 by Adafruit to provide news and information on CircuitPython, MicroPython, and Python on single board computers. A Reddit subreddit, r/CircuitPython, provides news on CircuitPython and related news and projects and has about 4,300 members.
Hardware support
The version 9.1.0 supports a range of architectures, called "ports":
- atmel-samd: Microchip SAMD21, SAMx5x
- cxd56: Sony Spresense
- espressif: Espressif ESP32, ESP32-S2, ESP32-S3, ESP32-C2, ESP32-C3, ESP32-C6
- nordic: Nordic nRF52840, nRF52833
- raspberrypi: Raspberry Pi RP2040, RP2350
- stm: ST STM32F4 chip family
These ports are considered alpha and will have bugs and missing functionality:
- broadcom: Raspberry Pi boards such as RPi 4, RPi Zero 2W (bare metal)
- litex: fomu
- mimxrt10xx: NXP i.MX RT10xxx
- renode: hardware simulator
- silabs: Silicon Labs MG24 family
- stm: ST non-STM32F4 chip families
Previous versions supported the ESP8266 microcontroller, but its support was dropped in version 4.
Blinka Software Abstraction Layer
CircuitPython code may run on MicroPython or CPython using the Adafruit written Blinka compatibility layer. It acts as a translation layer between CircuitPython code and underlying code. This allows CircuitPython code to run on many more devices including a wide range of single-board computers which are listed on circuitpython.org. It is a pip installable Python library. The CircuitPython runtime is not used, as documented in the guide CircuitPython Libraries on Linux and Raspberry Pi.
Modules (Libraries)
Adafruit has fostered a community which has contributed software libraries for more than 488 sensors and drivers.
References
- Shawcroft, Scott (19 July 2017). "CircuitPython 1.0.0!". Adafruit Blog. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "Release 9.2.1". 20 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "adafruit/circuitpython". GitHub. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- George, Damien P. (4 May 2014). "circuitpython/LICENSE". GitHub. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "CircuitPython is an education friendly open-source derivative of MicroPython". GitHub. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- "CircuitPython". Read the Docs. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- George, Damien (20 May 2016). "Damien P. George". Damien P. George. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "Adafruit CircuitPython". MicroPython Forum. MicroPython.org. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- Lewis, James (14 February 2018). "Circuit Python adds Python to Microcontrollers". The Bald Engineer. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- Ganne, Simon. "Can I use circuitPython code on my raspberry?". Element 14 Community. Element 14.
- Dopieralski, Radomir. "CircuitPython LAMEBOY". BitBucket. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- Young, Chris (6 June 2018). "Announcing IRLibCP — a Circuit Python Module for Infrared Transmitting and Receiving". CY's Tech Talk. Chris Young. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
- "Adafruit CircuitPython and MicroPython". Adafruit Support Forums. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "CircuitPython". Twitter. Adfafruit Industries. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "The Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter". Adafruit Daily. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- "r/CircuitPython". Reddit.com. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- "CircuitPython 9.1.0". GitHub. 17 July 2024.
- "Why are we dropping support for ESP8266?". Adafruit.com. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- "Blinka". CircuitPython. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- "Blinka". CircuitPython. Adafruit Industries. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- "CircuitPython Libraries on Linux and Raspberry Pi". Adafruit Learning System. Adafruit Industries Industries. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- "Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter". Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- "CircuitPython Libraries". Retrieved 17 July 2024.
External links
- CircuitPython on GitHub
- MicroPython playlist on YouTube • Tutorials by Tony DiCola / Adafruit
| Python | ||
|---|---|---|
| Implementations |  | |
| IDEs | ||
| Topics | ||
| Designer | ||
| ||
 | This programming-language-related article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |