ESP8266 Community Forum

Just getting started with a Huzzah Breakout ESP8266

I've successfully connected and run some code using Lua: Blinking the Red & Blue LEDs and retrieving contents from a page on the web.

I'm looking to control some solenoids.

- What are the differences between The Breakout and the Feather? I'm aware the Feather comes with a USB port and the Breakout does not (correct?). Reason for question: In Arduino, Tools > Board shows an option for the Feather but not the Breakout. Is it ok to choose Feather?

- What language to go with? Breakout comes ready to go with Lua. I'm experienced with JavaScript, very little with Lua. What are the pros/cons of going with Espruino vs Smart.js vs Lua

- I used Flasher.js app (on Mac) to load Espruino 2v01. It seemed to load, but then? How to get started. Lua still works. Can it also handle some version JS or is there more I need to do?

I'm in about the same boat. I'm completely new to the ESP ecosystem. Choosing a module or board just seems like a HUGE rabbit hole.

I wanted build something that

1. receives push events from a server and
2. displays something on a tiny display according to the received push event

Somebody suggested that I look into running a MQTT client on NodeMCU + a cheap e-ink display.

I decided that while I am at it, I want to learn to do all kinds of things with ESP8266 or ESP32, not just my little MQTT gadget.

So I started browsing AliExpress and I saw A LOT of options.

I found out that NodeMCU seems to be quite popular, but then I read the Wikipedia page about NodeMCU and I saw this line:

D0 (GPIO16) can only be used for GPIO read/write. It does not support open-drain/interrupt/PWM/I²C or 1-Wire.

And I thought to myself "WAT?!"

I really don't want to buy multiple ESP8266 dev kits, each with some different arbitrary limitations. By "arbitrary limitation", I mean something that the core ESP8266 SoC or module (like ESP-12E/F/S) supports, but that a particular dev kit has decided to not implement or expose.

D0 (GPIO16) can only be used for GPIO read/write. It does not support open-drain/interrupt/PWM/I²C or 1-Wire.

is not a limitation of nodemcu but from esp8266 generic...