The Future of MicroPython

Since 2013, MicroPython has been gaining popularity not just among hobbyists and Python enthusiasts, but also among professional developers who are willing to explore innovative and unconventional ways to develop embedded systems. Will MicroPython survive in the long term or is it just a short-term fad that will disappear over the next few years?

In this chapter, we will explore current trends and what the future of MicroPython might look like for professional and DIY developers. We will also examine some of the latest and greatest hardware and software for MicroPython that will help round out your MicroPython toolkit.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

• The advancing MicroPython
• The pyboard D-series
• Example professional projects
• Example maker projects
• How MicroPython can be used professionally
• Going further

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The advancing MicroPython

The greatest advantage that MicroPython currently has going for it is that Python, in general, has become one of the most popular programming languages in the world. Whether you are working in the cloud or at the edge, with a Windows or with a Linux machine, Python can be found there. There are Python libraries for serial communication, analyzing data, creating graphical user interfaces, analyzing images, and running machine learning inferences, just to name a few. Python is widely supported and has a fantastic ecosystem surrounding it.

All the advantages that you can think of for Python can also be applied to MicroPython, in addition to several additional advantages including the following:

• Abstracting the low-level electronics
• Lowering the barrier to entry for new developers (think electrical engineers and students)

There are still many challenges...

The pyboard D-series

While I was writing this project book, the MicroPython community was waiting in anticipation for the release of the latest flagship MicroPython development board, the pyboard D-series. (The module went into production a few months before this book was published.) Unlike its predecessors, the pyboard D-series was designed to be a module that could be used in production systems. Developers can design their end application and put all their hardware on a carrier or daughter board and then, through a mezzanine connector, add the pyboard D-series module in order to command and control their specific application hardware.

There are several advantages to the module approach for the pyboard D-series, including the following:

• Developers can design their hardware completely independently of the microcontroller.
• Over time, their product or project processing power can...

MicroPython in the real world

Throughout this book, we have been exploring how developers can leverage MicroPython to quickly and efficiently develop embedded systems using MicroPython. With each passing day, there are more and more examples for both DIY projects and professional products that are using MicroPython. As we move toward the conclusion of this book, I think it would be interesting to discuss how MicroPython is being used in each of these very distinct areas.

Example DIY/maker projects

DIY and maker projects are a great place to look for inspiration for your next MicroPython project, and there is no shortage of example projects out on the internet. A quick web search reveals that there are all kinds of MicroPython...

The future of MicroPython

MicroPython might look like a fad or an interesting language to play with, but it has a bright future ahead of it. Professional developers will find it interesting to rapidly prototype their systems and test their hardware without having to fully understand the low-level workings of a microcontroller. When it comes to developing a product, you want to fail fast if you are going to fail, and MicroPython provides developers with that speed and agility to quickly try out new concepts before becoming fully invested in them. DIY and maker types will find that MicroPython provides them with a far easier language to use and learn than any of the Arduino platforms that are currently quite popular.

MicroPython won't replace traditional programming languages such as C or C++ in the near future, but slowly, it will gain market share among professional developers...

Going further

This chapter reviewed the major topics that have been explored in this book and set the stage for where MicroPython is going. We've also covered several other reasons and ways for developers to get more involved in MicroPython.

Thank you for coming on this journey of MicroPython Projects. I've tried to cover all the topics that will provide you with a foundation to create your own project with MicroPython. Engineering is always progressing, and while this book has covered core language features and processes, it was impossible to cover everything. The following are several additional resources for you to review that I hope will provide you with additional details that we weren't able to cover in this book:

• MicroPython documentation: https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/index.html
• MicroPython forums: https://forum.micropython.org/

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References

Here is a list of references you can refer to:

• Pyboard D-series: https://pybd.io/hw/pybd_sfxw.html
• MicroPython tutorial for pyboard: https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/pyboard/tutorial/reset.html