Blog

Introducing the esp_trace component
esp_trace is a new ESP-IDF component that splits application-level tracing into pluggable encoders and transports, so adding a new trace library no longer means patching the kernel. This post gives a high-level tour and walks through the example that demonstrates the integration.

Inkplate: Open-Source ESP32 E-Paper Development Boards
Inkplate is a family of all-in-one, open-source e-paper development boards built around the ESP32. This article introduces the Inkplate lineup, covers the hardware, the Arduino and MicroPython libraries, and the kinds of projects you can build, explaining why ESP32 makes e-paper development accessible for everyone.

ESP-IDF tutorial series: Wi-Fi Provisioning
·14 mins
This article explains what Wi-Fi provisioning is, introduces the network_provisioning component, and walks through a complete SoftAP-based provisioning example using the ESP SoftAP Prov app.

ESP-WHO: Get started
In this article, we will set up ESP-WHO on the ESP32-S3-EYE board, running a face recognition example, and extending it with custom detection callbacks.

Creating an Arduino Demo With No Coding Experience Using AI
A first-person account of building an ESP32-C5 Arduino temperature indicator with AI assistance, from generated code and confusing errors to serial debugging, wiring issues, and the moment the LED finally changed color.

Building FOFOCA: An Open-Source AI Robot with ESP32, ESP32-C3, and Edge AI
FOFOCA is an open-source reference design for an AI-governed household robot, built around a Raspberry Pi 5 brain, an ESP32 for real-time motor control and sensor polling, and an ESP32-C3 driving an OLED status display over MQTT. This article walks through the hardware architecture, the firmware running on each Espressif chip, and how all of it connects to a local edge AI server running NVIDIA Nemotron Nano 8B for inference — no cloud dependency required.

ESP-IDF Extension for VS Code: What's New in v2.1.0
A look at the Espressif Installation Manager (EIM) integration in the ESP-IDF Extension for VS Code, and a roundup of all major improvements across v1.10.x, v1.11.x, v2.0.2, and v2.1.0.

Inside the New ESP-Brookesia v0.7 Architecture
··8 mins
This article introduces the redesigned ESP-Brookesia v0.7 architecture, from Utils, HAL, and General Service to AI Agent and AI Expression. It explains how these modules fit together and highlights two examples that help you quickly understand how to build AIoT interaction products on top of the framework.

ESP-IDF Tools Local MCP Server: Build, Flash, and Manage Projects from Your AI Assistant
ESP-IDF v6.0 introduces the Tools local MCP server, a feature that lets AI clients like Cursor and Claude Code control your projects – setting targets, building, flashing, and checking status. This article explains how it works and walks you through setup step by step.

ESP-IDF: Propagating compiler flags to ExternalProject builds
·4 mins
When an ESP-IDF project uses ExternalProject_Add(), compiler options driven by Kconfig and components do not flow into the nested build on their own. This post walks through why that happens and how to keep the outer and inner CMake worlds aligned.

Developing a Rust-based IoT device with AI
AI assistants are most effective on ESP32 Rust firmware when you supply clear specs, pinned crates, reference implementations (often ESP-IDF C), and a tight verify loop. The article discusses good practices, pitfalls, discipline, and entropy. A brief explanation about the device is also included, along with the repository and all artifacts.

Connecting an ESP32 to the Cloud
Connecting an ESP32 to a cloud platform usually means HTTP libraries, JSON parsers, and TLS handshakes. This tutorial shows a different approach: a single UDP datagram, built with snprintf, carrying structured sensor data in about 130 bytes. The TagoTiP open specification makes it possible by defining the data structure so you don’t have to.

C++ Components for ESP-IDF
·19 mins
This article presents two C++ ESP32 components: wifi_manager for seamless network connection and Deep Sleep for power-saving operation, both easily integrated using provided code examples. It also lists additional ESP-IDF components to streamline development.

Gesture Recognition Based on TFLite
·11 mins
This article demonstrates how to implement gesture recognition using TensorFlow Lite Micro on Espressif SoCs. It covers the complete workflow from data collection and model training to model deployment, showcasing TensorFlow Lite Micro’s applications in edge AI.

Espressif Documentation MCP Server: Power Your AI Agents with Espressif Docs
This article introduces how to connect your AI agent to official, up-to-date Espressif documentation directly inside your AI applications — with installation steps, example prompts, and best practices.

ESP-IDF v6.0: Default libc Switches from Newlib to PicolibC
ESP-IDF v6.0 switches the default C library from Newlib to PicolibC. This article compares both libraries in terms of memory usage, stdio behavior, compatibility, and migration tradeoffs, and explains when keeping Newlib still makes sense.

Introducing the SPIFFS component
Learn what the ESP-IDF SPIFFS component is, how it works with the VFS layer and standard C file APIs, and how to use the SPIFFSgen tool to embed files. This article is a practical guide with references to the official example.

Announcing ESP-IDF v6.0
We’re excited to announce the long-awaited release of ESP-IDF 6.0! This article highlights the key changes and improvements not only to ESP-IDF itself, but also to the broader ESP-IDF tooling ecosystem, all designed to enhance your developer experience.

RED DA Assessment Tool: Streamline Your ESP32 Cybersecurity Compliance
·9 mins
The RED DA Assessment Tool simplifies the process of achieving cybersecurity compliance for ESP32 devices in line with the EU’s EN 18031 standards. This article explains how the tool helps you gather, validate, and generate all necessary documentation for RED Delegated Act self-assessment, including uploading configuration and SBOM files, completing risk assessments, mapping technical requirements, and preparing a declaration of conformity—making self-declaration fast, accurate, and accessible for IoT developers.

Understanding the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
The EU Cyber Resilience Act introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements placed on the EU market. This blog outlines what the CRA means for ESP32-based products, the obligations for OEM manufacturers, and how Espressif will support customers in achieving compliance.

Staying Ahead with ESP32 Security Updates
This article explains how manufacturers can use the ESP32 ecosystem to build and maintain secure firmware over time, especially in light of new regulations like the EU Cyber Resilience Act. It highlights tools such as vulnerability dashboards, Long-Term Support branches, and secure OTA updates to ensure ongoing compliance and device security.

ESP-IDF Installation Manager v0.8: Streamlined Setup for ESP-IDF Development
The ESP-IDF Installation Manager (EIM) v0.8 introduces simplified installation across Windows, macOS, and Linux through native package managers. This article covers the new release features, installation methods, offline capabilities, and headless usage for CI/CD pipelines.

Introducing ESP-IDF button component
Learn how to use the ESP-IDF button component to handle GPIO buttons with event detection, debouncing, and callbacks. A step-by-step guide with practical code examples.

ESP-IDF tutorial series: GPIO get started - Part 2
In this article, we explore how to configure GPIO pins as inputs in ESP-IDF and discuss the importance of pull-up/pull-down resistors. We will try two approaches for reading GPIO values: polling and event-driven interrupts, showing how to implement each method effectively.

Secure DNS for ESP32: A Quick Guide to ESP DNS Component
·10 mins
This article introduces the ESP DNS component and explains why securing DNS resolution is essential for ESP32-based IoT devices. It shows how DNS over TLS (DoT) and DNS over HTTPS (DoH) can be enabled transparently in ESP-IDF with minimal code changes, using standard DNS APIs. Practical examples and guidance help developers choose the right protocol while balancing security, performance, and resource constraints.

Power Management in NuttX
This article walks through Espressif power modes and NuttX power states, then explains how they map to each other. Then it introduces NuttX’s power management system and the concept of governors. The how-to part shows how to control sleep modes from the shell and a custom application. Finally, you will see real power‑consumption measurements across multiple ESP chips to illustrate the practical impact using power states.

ESP-IDF tutorial series: GPIO get started - Part 1
This article explains how to configure and control GPIO pins on Espressif SoCs, covering push-pull and open-drain output modes, drive capability, and library usage. It then provides a hands-on example of blinking an LED using gpio_set_direction and gpio_set_level on a ESP32-C61-DevKitC.

Amazon KVS WebRTC SDK for Espressif Chipsets and ESP RainMaker Camera
This article announces the ESP-IDF port of Amazon KVS WebRTC SDK, featuring memory optimizations, split mode power savings, and a simplified API. We also showcase ESP RainMaker Camera as a production-ready use-case built on this SDK.

Espressif - Introducing Matter Cameras
This article describes the Matter camera features introduced in Matter 1.5 and discusses camera support for the ESP32 series of SoCs using Espressif Matter SDK
