A decade ago, Damien George proposed the idea of MicroPython at Cambridge University. Since then, the language has rapidly developed into a versatile language for IoT and various other applications. The language’s first implementation and a kickstarter for a MicroPython board took place towards the end of 2013. Recently, to mark the anniversary, version 1.20 was released, encompassing a vast range of new features.
For users interested in the history of MicroPython development, there is a PDF poster that highlights its evolution, while the development of the code library over the last 10 years is displayed in a video with calming music.
There have been many new changes, bug fixes, and innovations in MicroPython, and the information on these can be viewed on GitHub. For makers, the support of the Raspberry Pico W and its WLAN chip and Circuit Python, a MicroPython derivative from Adafruit, are noteworthy features. Furthermore, many other boards are now also supported.
Another exciting addition is the slim package manager “mip,” which is optimized for embedded systems. It’s intended to replace “upip” and can run directly on the microcontroller, as long as a network connection is available.
MicroPython is developed on GitHub, and to add it to a board, users can visit the download page, select their board from the illustrated list, and follow the instructions provided on the board page.
