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Building Micropython for ESP8266¶

as micropython on the esp8266 is bleeding edge (as of April 2016), the most current esp sdk and micropython is required.

esp SDK¶

This builds a complete cross-compiler toolchain. On first run it will download sourcecode for binutils, newlib, gcc (150MB). It then continues to build libraries, the bootstrap compiler, the c libraries, the real compiler.

The makefile is intelligent enough to use multiple processor cores during bootstrap. But it still takes a while.

# get sdk including submodules
git clone --recursive https://github.com/pfalcon/esp-open-sdk.git
cd esp-open-sdk
# update
git submodule update --init
# build it
make

the crosscompiler is in esp-open-sdk/xtensa-lx106-elf

python3 pitfall¶

if you have a python3 environment, modify esp-open-sdk/xtensa-lx106-elf/bin/esptool.py to point to python2.

micropython¶

# /home/scorch/projects/esp8266/micropython/esp-open-sdk/xtensa-lx106-elf/

add the crossompiler to your path

export PATH=WORKSPACE/esp-open-sdk/xtensa-lx106-elf/bin:$PATH

# get micropython including submodules
git clone --recursive https://github.com/micropython/micropython.git
cd micropython
# update
git submodule update --init
# choose our target board
cd esp8266
# and build it
make

the firmware image is in build/firmware-combined.bin

flashing¶

connect serial (via serial USB converter) to esp8266. Pull gpio0 and reset to low. power on. pull reset high. pull gpio0 high.

esptool.py \
  -p /dev/ttyUSB0 \
  write_flash \
  0x00 build/firmware-combined.bin