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Getting Started with NodeMCU using ESPlorer

Writing Lua script for NodeMCU using ESPlorer IDE.

30.1k views1 min readUpdated Oct 22, 2022

Introduction

ESPlorer is a Lua based IDE used to develop applications for NodeMCU. Lua scripts are generally used to program the NodeMCU. Lua is an open-source, lightweight, embeddable scripting language built on top of C programming language i.e. it has a base of C programming language.

  • To start with the Lua script for NodeMCU, we can use ESPlorer IDE. The ESPlorer is an IDE for ESP developers.
  • ESPlorer IDE allows you to establish serial communication with your ESP8266, send commands, upload code, and much more.

            Download and Extract ESPlorer from

            http://esp8266.ru/esplorer-latest/?f=ESPlorer.zip

You need to have JAVA installed on your computer. If you don’t have,

go to this website: http://java.com/download

Download and install the latest version. It requires JAVA (SE version 7 and above) to be installed.

Example

Let’s see how to write a simple Lua script of serial print using ESPlorer IDE for NodeMCU.

First, connect NodeMCU Development Kit with PC as shown in the below figure.

NodeMCU connection with PC

NodeMCU connection with PC

Then go to the downloaded & extracted ESPlorer folder

  • Double Click on ESPlorer.jar executable file as shown in the below figure.

ESPlorer IDE

 

  • You will see the ESPlorer IDE start page as shown in the below image.

ESPlorer IDE

 

  • Select COM Port and Baud Rate

ESPlorer IDE

 

  • Now Click Open and press reset on the NodeMCU board.

ESPlorer IDE

 

Here we need to reset the NodeMCU kit while ESPlorerIDE is communicating with it. Also, we need to keep the baud rate at 115200 (default baud rate).

  • Now write a simple serial print program e.g. type print(‘ElectronicWings’)

ESPlorer IDE

  • Now Click on Send to ESP

ESPlorer IDE

  • And see the output in the console window as shown in the below figure.

ESPlorer IDE

 

  • Congratulations! You have successfully taken your first step to master Node-MCU board

 

Components Used

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Comments6

Join the discussion — share a question or tip.

  • AR
    ArefBahrami

    Hi... When I Press open esplorer exit and crash

    • MA
      MarcoAlonsoLopezFranco

      Hey! try reinstalling ESPlorer IDE, i had the same issue and that´s how i fixed it

    • MA
      ManojRajendran

      Hi.. even if JAVA not installed, happens as you mentioned.

  • CL
    claudioccdsilva

    Hello, When I make every step of post, the my ESP is not connected to execulte the function print of code. How to fix the problem?

  • PA
    pavipd495

    When I am running print('hello world') it shows "unexpected symbol near char(27) how to fix the error...

    • CR
      crislesov

      if you copied his bolded print(‘ElectronicWings’) example from this webPage and pasted it in your ESPlorer then of course you got this errorr: stdin:1: unexpected symbol near '‘' That's because you flanked the string between an opening single quote ( ‘ in windows: alt 0145) and a closing single quote ( ’ in windows: alt 0146) when you should've used the straight single quote ( ' )

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