Getting started with ESP32-S

[tacitdesign]

Hello,

I am new to ESP32-S and have not used it before.
Of course, I am an experienced embedded firmware and hardware developer.
Are there any documents that help me to get info such as:

- Do I have to program my own WiFi stack or BLE stack?
- Does ESP32-S come preprogrammed with WiFi stack/BLE stack?
- How to program/debug the user defined code?
- I intent to use existing ESP32-S module and add my application functions.

Any help on this request will be appreciated.

Regards,

KMM

[ESP_krzychb]

Hi KMM,

- Do I have to program my own WiFi stack or BLE stack?

No.

- Does ESP32-S come preprogrammed with WiFi stack/BLE stack?

Some modules, including ESP32-S, come preprogrammed with AT firmware.

- How to program/debug the user defined code?

See https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp ... debugging/.
Note that modules loaded with stock AT firmware cannot be debugged with JTAG, see https://esp32.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t= ... 837#p49837.

- I intent to use existing ESP32-S module and add my application functions.

When using AT firmware the "application functions" should be placed in some external MCU sending the AT commands to the ESP32-S over UART.
To place your application functions inside ESP32-S, you can use one of several existing development frameworks, e.g. Arduino, MicroPython, ESP-IDF, to name a few.

[tacitdesign]

Hello,

Thank you for a quick response - appreciate that.

Let me share more info on what I want to achieve using ESP32-S module.
In my application, I want both WiFI and BT connectivity which will be provided by ESP32-S.
Now, I want to add RTC(for timestamp), add a switch(user input) to ESP32-S.
I don't have a plan to use another MCU to communicate with ESP32-S over UART/SPI for sending/receiving AT commands. I want to use the capability of ESP32-S for WiFi+BT and add my applications requirement(RTC and switch inputs as mentioned above).

Can you please help me to get started with?
I have installed Ardunio IDE. I am exploring which ESP32-S module to be used. Your suggestion on selecting ESP32-S module is welcome.

Regards,

KMM

[ESP_krzychb]

Hello KMM,

Can you please help me to get started with?
I have installed Ardunio IDE. I am exploring which ESP32-S module to be used. Your suggestion on selecting ESP32-S module is welcome.

I am not sure if there are more ESP32-S modules besides that I found in internet and linked in my previous post.
Maybe you meant recently released ESP32-S2 chip that is younger brother of mature ESP32? The ESP32-S2 does not have Bluetooth.

To get started quickly, as opposed to a bare module, I would use a board with USB port, e.g. ESP32-Dev-KitC.
Using a board with USB interface saves you once extra step to hook up a USB-to-UART adapter to the module for application loading.
You can then switch to using a module, once the application is ready.

The are numerous examples and videos describing use of Arduino IDE with ESP32-DevKitC that cover applications you mentioned.
I suggest starting with https://randomnerdtutorials.com/ or https://lastminuteengineers.com/ that I like for going into more advanced topis.