arduino-development

Arduino Development

Guidance for Arduino development using the arduino-cli command-line tool (v1.4.1).

Core Workflow

Every Arduino project follows this sequence:

1. Detect the board: Run arduino-cli board list to identify connected hardware. The output includes the port address and FQBN (Fully Qualified Board Name) needed for all subsequent steps.

2. Install the platform core: Each board family requires a platform core. Extract the core ID from the FQBN (first two colon-separated segments, e.g., arduino:avr from arduino:avr:uno). Install with arduino-cli core install <core-id>.

3. Create the sketch: Run arduino-cli sketch new <Name>. This creates a directory with a .ino file containing empty setup() and loop() functions. The directory name must match the .ino filename.

4. Write the code: Edit the .ino file. Every sketch requires:

   • void setup() -- runs once at power-on/reset
   • void loop() -- runs repeatedly after setup

5. Compile: Run arduino-cli compile --fqbn <FQBN> <sketch-dir>. The output reports flash and RAM usage.

6. Upload: Run arduino-cli upload -p <port> --fqbn <FQBN> <sketch-dir>. Some boards require pressing a reset button before upload.

7. Monitor (optional): Run arduino-cli monitor -p <port> to view Serial output. Default baud rate is 9600.

Available Slash Commands

Use these commands for streamlined workflows:

• /arduino-new <name> -- Create a new sketch
• /arduino-build [path] [--fqbn <FQBN>] -- Compile a sketch
• /arduino-upload [path] -- Upload to a connected board
• /arduino-boards [search] -- List boards or search for board support
• /arduino-libs <search | install name> -- Find or install libraries

Arduino Sketch Structure

A minimal sketch:

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
  delay(1000);
}

Key conventions:

• Pin constants: LED_BUILTIN, A0-A5, D0-D13
• Serial communication: Serial.begin(baud), Serial.println(data)
• Digital I/O: pinMode(), digitalWrite(), digitalRead()
• Analog I/O: analogRead(), analogWrite() (PWM)
• Timing: delay(ms), millis(), micros()
• Prefer millis() over delay() for non-blocking timing

Multi-File Projects

For larger projects, place additional files alongside the .ino:

MyProject/
├── MyProject.ino       # Main sketch (must match dir name)
├── sensors.h           # Header for sensor module
├── sensors.cpp         # Sensor implementation
└── config.h            # Configuration constants

All .ino, .c, .cpp, .h files in the sketch directory are automatically compiled together. Use #include "file.h" for local headers.

Library Management

• Search: arduino-cli lib search <keyword>
• Install: arduino-cli lib install "<Library Name>"
• List installed: arduino-cli lib list
• Include with: #include <LibraryName.h>

3rd Party Board Support

Boards like ESP32, ESP8266, and Adafruit require additional board manager URLs. Configure with:

arduino-cli config set board_manager.additional_urls <URL1>,<URL2>

Then run arduino-cli core update-index to refresh.

Additional Resources

For detailed board-to-FQBN-to-core mappings, consult:

• references/board-platforms.md -- Common boards, FQBNs, cores, and board manager URLs

For common compilation and upload errors, consult:

• references/troubleshooting.md -- Error diagnosis and fixes

For advanced project structure patterns, consult:

• references/project-patterns.md -- State machines, non-blocking timing, multi-file organization

Important Notes

• Use --json flag when parsing arduino-cli output programmatically
• The board list command shows Bluetooth and debug serial ports too; only entries with matching_boards in the JSON represent actual Arduino devices
• Some boards (ESP32, STM32) require additional board manager URLs
• On macOS, serial ports appear as /dev/cu.usbmodem* or /dev/cu.usbserial*