Show HN: ThingStudio, Node-RED style programming for microcontrollers

ThingStudio is a beta, open-source visual programming environment for building event-driven programs on MicroPython microcontrollers. It borrows Node-RED’s model of connecting nodes with wires, but compiles flows into MicroPython and deploys them to the board, where they keep running after the editor closes or the computer is disconnected. The goal is to make it easier to coordinate tasks such as responding to button presses, reading sensors, publishing MQTT messages, and controlling lights without an ever-growing main loop or manually managing asyncio. It supports chips including ESP32, RP2040 and RP2350, nRF52840, and STM32, with built-in nodes for common hardware and network functions.

The editor and projects run locally, with no account or cloud service, and installed software works offline. Programs and board definitions are plain JSON files suitable for version control; credentials are stored separately. Board definitions describe pins and buses, and the compiler checks pin assignments and setup conflicts before deploying. Users can add boards and processors or create custom nodes, including MicroPython functions. The tool is aimed at people who already have some programming and microcontroller experience, rather than beginners. Its creator has tested it on a range of boards but labels it beta because onboarding and documentation need wider testing. New testers are invited to try installing the software and firmware and deploying a first blinking-LED flow, particularly on an ESP32 or Raspberry Pi Pico.