MicroPython is a lean implementation of Python 3 that runs on microcontrollers and in constrained environments. It includes a subset of the Python standard library plus hardware modules such as machine.

How is MicroPython different from Python?

The language is Python 3. The standard library is smaller, some types have tighter limits, and you talk to pins, buses and radios through the machine and network modules instead of desktop OS APIs.

How is MicroPython different from CircuitPython?

CircuitPython is Adafruit's fork. It emphasises USB mass-storage and beginner APIs. MicroPython is the upstream project, with more ports, a smaller default footprint, and the official firmware builds.

Which board should I start with?

A Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico W is the usual first board: cheap, well documented, and already emulated here. ESP32 is the next step if you need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on one chip.

MicroPython

Python 3 for microcontrollers. Learn the language, flash a board, run the examples, and keep every useful link in one place.

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Explore

Language

Python 3 on a chip: syntax, libraries, internals, ports and how to embed the interpreter.

Examples

From blink and PWM to Wi-Fi, MQTT and small projects you can run on a board or in an emulator.

Devices

Ports and boards — Pico, ESP32, pyboard, nRF, SAMD, desktop and the rest — with flash notes and REPL.

Tools

Playgrounds on emulators.org, editors, firmware hosts, and the pieces of a teaching interpreter.

News

Releases, new silicon, libraries and community notes. Latest is MicroPython 1.28.

Resources

The organised pile: drivers, IDEs, books, tutorials, firmware downloads and places to ask.

Run it now

These boards already have a MicroPython REPL in the browser on emulators.org. No cable, no flash tool.

Raspberry Pi Pico

RP2040 firmware, USB-CDC REPL, onboard LED on GPIO 25.

Raspberry Pi Pico W

Same chip plus the CYW43439 radio path used by the wireless firmware.

Pico 2 / RP2350

Arm firmware on the newer dual-core chip. RISC-V build is next to it.

ESP32-C3

RISC-V ESP32 with MicroPython over the emulated UART.

ESP32-C6

Wi-Fi 6 class C6 running the official port.

ESP8266

The classic small wireless chip that made MicroPython cheap.

Thumby

TinyCircuits console: SSD1306, buttons and a buzzer on top of Pico firmware.

micro:bit

BBC micro:bit with the MicroPython heart demo.

All playgrounds

The full list, plus what each emulator actually models.

Latest news

Release6 April 2026

MicroPython 1.28

PWM on STM32 and Alif, a common machine.CAN API, PEP 750 template strings, and the weakref module.

Release10 December 2025

MicroPython 1.27

ESP32-C5, ESP32-P4 and STM32U5 land, plus the port tier levels that say how complete a port is.

All news

What is MicroPython?

MicroPython is a complete Python 3 compiler and runtime that fits in a few hundred kilobytes of flash. You write the same language you use on a laptop — functions, classes, exceptions, async — and you talk to hardware through modules such as machine, network and bluetooth.

Firmware is built per board. A Raspberry Pi Pico, an ESP32 and a pyboard all run the same bytecode VM; what changes is the C port, the pin map, and which libraries are compiled in. That is why this site is organised by language, then device, then examples that name the peripherals they need.

The core is MIT licensed. You can read it, fork it, embed it, and ship it. Third-party drivers and docs keep their own licences — the resources pages flag those.

Frequently asked questions

What is MicroPython?

A lean Python 3 implementation for microcontrollers and other small systems. See the language and learn.

How is it different from CPython?

Same language family, smaller library, some implementation limits, and hardware APIs instead of a desktop OS. The official list of differences lives in the docs; we summarise it under syntax and libraries.

How is it different from CircuitPython?

CircuitPython is Adafruit’s fork, aimed at USB-drive workflows and a friendlier hardware API. MicroPython is upstream: more ports, tighter default builds, official firmware at micropython.org/download.

Which board should I buy?

Start with a Pico or Pico W. Move to ESP32 when you want Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on one module. The devices section lists the rest by port.