Kit companion

Freenove Ultimate Starter Kit for ESP32-WROVER: lesson by lesson, simulated

Every project of the kit’s Python tutorial, chapter by chapter, as a MicroPython program that runs on a simulated ESP32 in your browser, on the GPIO numbers the tutorial’s code uses: from a blinking LED to a keypad door lock and joining WiFi.

Open the first lesson Find your lesson What else it can build

Not affiliated with Freenove. Lesson titles are referenced so you can follow along.

Lesson by lesson

Every lesson in the kit’s order

Lesson numbers and titles follow the Python tutorial of fnk0047-docs v1.0.0. Each circuit uses the kit’s parts on the pins the lesson uses.

44 of the 54 lessons with a circuit run here, 7 of them with a change we name, 10 coming soon.

1.1
Blink
Runs here
GPIO 2 switches on and off once a second. On the kit’s board that is its own LED; here an LED on GPIO 2 blinks with the DevKitC’s blue one.
Open in the editor MicroPython blink on ESP32 GPIO 2
1.2
Blink
Runs here
The same program, now blinking an LED and a 220 ohm resistor on the breadboard from GPIO 2.
Open in the editor MicroPython blink on ESP32 GPIO 2
2.1
Button & LED
Runs here
A push button on GPIO 13 with a 10k pull-up: the LED on GPIO 2 is lit while the button is held.
Open in the editor MicroPython button on GPIO 13 lights an LED
2.2
MINI table lamp
Runs here
Each press of the button flips the LED on or off, like a lamp switch, with the contact bounce filtered out.
Open in the editor MicroPython table lamp: a button toggles an LED
3.1
Flowing Light
Runs here
A ten-segment LED bar on ten GPIOs, a 220 ohm on each segment: one segment runs up the bar and back.
Open in the editor MicroPython flowing light on a ten-segment LED bar
4.1
Breathing LED
Runs here
PWM on GPIO 2 ramps the LED’s duty up and down, so it fades in and out.
Open in the editor MicroPython breathing LED with PWM on GPIO 2
4.2
Meteor Flowing Light
Runs here
Eight bar segments on eight PWM channels: a bright head with a dimming tail sweeps up the bar and back.
Open in the editor MicroPython meteor light on eight PWM bar segments
5.1
Random Color Light
Runs here
A common-anode RGB LED on GPIO 4, 2 and 15 jumps to a random color five times a second.
Open in the editor MicroPython random colors on a common-anode RGB LED
5.2
Gradient Color Light
Runs here
The same RGB LED walks smoothly around the color wheel, red to green to blue.
Open in the editor MicroPython color wheel on a common-anode RGB LED
6.1
NeoPixel
Runs here
Eight WS2812 LEDs on GPIO 2, filled one by one in red, green, blue and white with the neopixel module.
Open in the editor MicroPython NeoPixel: eight WS2812 LEDs on GPIO 2
6.2
Rainbow Light
Runs here
A color wheel spread across the eight LEDs, turning a step at a time.
Open in the editor MicroPython rainbow on eight NeoPixels
7.1
Doorbell
Runs here
Hold the button on GPIO 4 and an active buzzer, switched by an S8050 from GPIO 13, sounds.
Open in the editor MicroPython doorbell: a button sounds a buzzer
7.2
Alertor
Runs here
A passive buzzer on the same transistor wails like a siren while the button is held, its pitch following a sine wave.
Open in the editor MicroPython alarm siren on a passive buzzer
8.1
Serial Print
Runs here
print() sends a greeting and then the board’s running time to the Serial Monitor every second.
Open in the editor MicroPython serial print: the ESP32’s running time
8.2
Serial Read and Write
Runs here
Type a line in the Serial Monitor: input() reads it and the board answers with what you typed.
Open in the editor MicroPython serial echo: input() on an ESP32
9.1
Read the Voltage of Potentiometer
Coming soon
A potentiometer on the ADC, its reading written to the DAC on GPIO 25 so an LED follows the knob.
The simulated ESP32 has no DAC yet, so machine.DAC cannot drive the LED. The knob and the ADC alone run in 11.1.
10.1
Read Touch Sensor
Coming soon
A bare jumper on a touch pin, and its capacitive reading printed as you touch it.
The simulated ESP32 has no touch sensor yet, so machine.TouchPad has nothing to read.
10.2
Touch Lamp
Coming soon
A touch on the jumper wire turns the LED on or off.
It needs the touch sensor, which the simulated ESP32 does not have yet.
11.1
Soft Light
Runs here
A potentiometer on GPIO 36 sets the PWM brightness of the LED on GPIO 25.
The tutorial’s drawing puts the knob on GPIO 4; its Python code reads GPIO 36, which is what is wired here.
Open in the editor MicroPython dimmer: a knob on GPIO 36, an LED on 25
11.2
Soft Colorful Light
Runs here
Three knobs on GPIO 36, 39 and 34 mix the red, green and blue of an RGB LED on GPIO 15, 2 and 5.
Wired to the pins the Python code uses; the drawing shows the C chapter’s pins.
Open in the editor MicroPython color mixer: three knobs, one RGB LED
11.3
Soft Rainbow Light
Runs here
A knob on GPIO 36 turns a rainbow on the eight NeoPixels on GPIO 2.
Open in the editor MicroPython knob turns a NeoPixel rainbow
12.1
NightLamp
Runs here
A photoresistor and a 10k on GPIO 36: the darker it gets, the brighter the LED on GPIO 25.
Wired to the pins the Python code uses (GPIO 36 and 25); the drawing shows GPIO 4 and 12.
Open in the editor MicroPython night lamp: a photoresistor dims an LED
13.1
Thermometer
Runs here
A thermistor and a 10k on GPIO 36, turned into degrees Celsius with the beta equation.
Wired to GPIO 36, which the Python code reads; the drawing shows GPIO 4. The ADC is set to its straight 6 dB range, so the reading is not bent by the 11 dB curve.
Open in the editor MicroPython thermometer: a thermistor on GPIO 36
14.1
Joystick
Runs here
A joystick with X on GPIO 36, Y on 39 and its switch on 14, printed once a second.
Wired to the pins the Python code uses; the drawing shows the C chapter’s GPIO 13 and 12.
Open in the editor MicroPython joystick on GPIO 36, 39 and 14
15.1
Flowing Water Light
Runs here
A 74HC595 on GPIO 14, 12 and 13 walks one lit segment along eight bars of the LED bar graph.
OE is tied to ground, as in the tutorial’s drawing, so the outputs are always on; the tutorial’s code also names GPIO 5 for OE, which is left unwired here.
Open in the editor MicroPython 74HC595 flowing light on an LED bar
16.1
7-Segment Display.
Runs here
A 74HC595 on GPIO 15, 2 and 4 drives a common-anode digit, counting 0 to F.
Open in the editor MicroPython 7-segment digit through a 74HC595
16.2
4-Digit 7-Segment Display
Runs here
The 74HC595 sets the segments, GPIO 25, 26, 27 and 14 pick the digit, and 0123 is multiplexed.
Open in the editor MicroPython four-digit display, multiplexed
16.3
LED Matrix
Coming soon
Two 74HC595s scan a bare 8x8 LED matrix to draw a smiley and scroll characters.
The kit’s bare 8x8 LED matrix is not simulated yet. The MAX7219 matrix module is, if you want to try a matrix now.
17.1
Relay & Motor
Runs here
Each press of the button on GPIO 15 flips a relay through an S8050 on GPIO 13, and the relay runs a motor.
The motor runs from the board’s 5 V here; the lesson powers it from a 9 V battery on the extension board.
Open in the editor MicroPython relay switches a motor: button on 15
17.2
Control Motor with Potentiometer
Runs here
A knob on GPIO 36 drives a motor both ways on an L293D: enable on 13, inputs on 12 and 14.
The motor supply comes from the board’s 5 V rather than the 9 V battery.
Open in the editor MicroPython knob drives a motor both ways, L293D
18.1
Servo Sweep
Runs here
A servo on GPIO 15 sweeps from 0 to 180 degrees and back with 50 Hz PWM.
Open in the editor MicroPython servo sweep on GPIO 15
18.2
Servo Knop
Runs here
A potentiometer on GPIO 34 points the servo on GPIO 15.
Open in the editor MicroPython knob points a servo: GPIO 34 and 15
19.1
Stepper Motor
Runs here
A 28BYJ-48 on its ULN2003 board, IN1 to IN4 on GPIO 14, 27, 26 and 25: one turn each way.
Open in the editor MicroPython stepper motor on a ULN2003 board
20.1
LCD1602
Runs here
An I2C LCD1602 with SDA on GPIO 13 and SCL on 14 says hello and counts.
The display is driven by a small lcd1602.py of Mokxi’s own in place of the tutorial’s two driver files.
Open in the editor MicroPython I2C LCD1602: hello and a counter
21.1
Ultrasonic Ranging
Runs, with a change
An HC-SR04 with TRIG on GPIO 13 and ECHO on 14, its echo timed by hand with ticks_us().
A 1k and a 2k on ECHO bring its 5 V signal down to the 3.3 V the pin takes; the tutorial wires ECHO straight to the pin.
Open in the editor MicroPython HC-SR04 distance, timed by hand
21.2
Ultrasonic Ranging
Runs, with a change
The same sensor read through a small driver file, which does the timing.
A 1k and a 2k on ECHO bring its 5 V signal down to the 3.3 V the pin takes; the tutorial wires ECHO straight to the pin.
Open in the editor MicroPython HC-SR04 distance with a driver file
22.1
Matrix Keypad
Runs here
A 4x4 keypad with rows on GPIO 14, 27, 26, 25 and columns on 13, 21, 22, 23: each key printed as it is pressed.
Open in the editor MicroPython 4x4 keypad on an ESP32
22.2
Keypad Door
Runs here
Type 1234 and the servo on GPIO 19 opens the door; each key beeps a buzzer on GPIO 18, a wrong code beeps long.
Open in the editor MicroPython keypad door lock with a servo
23.1
Infrared Remote Control
Runs here
An IR receiver on GPIO 15 with a 10k pull-up: each remote button’s code is printed.
Open in the editor MicroPython infrared remote codes on GPIO 15
23.2
Control LED through Infrared Remote
Runs here
Remote keys 0 to 3 set the brightness of the LED on GPIO 14, with a beep from the buzzer on GPIO 13.
Open in the editor MicroPython remote sets an LED’s brightness
24.1
Hygrothermograph
Runs, with a change
A temperature and humidity sensor on GPIO 13 with a 10k pull-up, read every two seconds with the dht module.
The kit’s DHT11 is played by a DHT22, read with dht.DHT22: the simulated DHT11 does not answer MicroPython on the ESP32 yet. The wiring is the same.
Open in the editor MicroPython DHT sensor: temperature and humidity
24.2
Hygrothermograph
Runs, with a change
The sensor on GPIO 18, its temperature and humidity shown on the I2C LCD1602.
The kit’s DHT11 is played by a DHT22, read with dht.DHT22: the simulated DHT11 does not answer MicroPython on the ESP32 yet. The wiring is the same.
Open in the editor MicroPython DHT readings on an I2C LCD
25.1
Infrared Motion Detector with LED Indicator
Runs here
An HC-SR501 motion sensor on GPIO 14 lights the LED on GPIO 13 while it sees movement.
Open in the editor MicroPython motion sensor lights an LED
26.1
Read a MPU6050 Sensor Module
Runs here
An MPU6050 on I2C (SCL 14, SDA 13): acceleration and rotation, raw and in g and degrees per second.
The registers are read with machine.I2C directly, in place of the tutorial’s mpu6050.py driver.
Open in the editor MicroPython MPU6050 accelerometer and gyroscope
27.1
Bluetooth Low Energy Data Passthrough
Coming soon
A Bluetooth LE serial link between the board and a phone app.
MicroPython’s bluetooth module needs the ESP32’s radio, which is not simulated for MicroPython yet.
27.2
Bluetooth Control LED
Coming soon
A phone sends "led_on" or "led_off" over Bluetooth LE to switch an LED.
It needs MicroPython’s bluetooth module, which is not simulated yet.
28.1
Station mode
Runs, with a change
The board joins a WiFi network as a client and prints the address it is given.
It joins Mokxi’s simulated access point (named in the board’s WiFi properties), not your router.
Open in the editor MicroPython WiFi station mode on an ESP32
28.2
AP mode
Runs, with a change
The board starts its own hotspot and prints its settings.
The hotspot starts, but nothing can join it in the simulator, and its IP settings are left at the defaults.
Open in the editor MicroPython WiFi access point mode on an ESP32
28.3
AP+Station mode
Runs, with a change
A hotspot of its own and a client connection to a router, both at once.
The client joins Mokxi’s simulated access point, and nothing can join the hotspot.
Open in the editor MicroPython WiFi AP and station at once on an ESP32
29.1
As Client
Coming soon
The board opens a TCP connection to a program on your computer and echoes what it sends.
There is no computer on the simulated network to connect to, so a raw TCP client has nowhere to go.
29.2
As Server
Coming soon
The board listens on a TCP port for a program on your computer and echoes what it receives.
Nothing on the simulated network can open a raw TCP connection to the board on that port yet.
30.1
Camera Web Server
Coming soon
The board’s camera streams video to a web page it serves over WiFi.
It needs a separate camera firmware and the camera module, neither of which is simulated.
31.1
Soldering a Buzzer
Coming soon
A doorbell soldered on perfboard: a button sounds a buzzer and lights an LED, with no board and no code.
Mokxi does not model soldering on perfboard. The same doorbell idea runs in 7.1.
31.2
Soldering a Flowing Water Light
Runs here
The 74HC595 running light, soldered: the same program and pins as 15.1.
Built on a breadboard here, with the LED bar graph in place of eight separate LEDs.
Open in the editor MicroPython 74HC595 flowing light on an LED bar

Lesson list and pins read from Freenove’s online tutorial. The explanations on this page are our own.

Learning path

Everything the Freenove Ultimate Starter Kit for ESP32-WROVER can build

44 projects use only the parts in this box, ordered from a first blink to the hardest.

Beginner (23)

Intermediate (18)

Advanced (3)

Level up

Add a few parts, unlock more projects

The smallest shopping lists that open the most new projects for the Freenove Ultimate Starter Kit for ESP32-WROVER.

Add Slide switch

Unlocks 3 more projects:

Add Multimeter and Slide switch

Unlocks 5 more projects:

Add Capacitor, Multimeter and Slide switch

Unlocks 7 more projects:

Two kits

Projects that combine two kits

Own another kit as well? These need parts from both boxes, and neither can build them alone.

In the box

The kit’s parts, and what plays them here

The parts in the Freenove Ultimate Starter Kit for ESP32-WROVER, by the names its maker gives them. Each one is in the editor’s parts panel.

ESP32-WROVER board ESP32-DevKitC V4 Plays the kit’s board: the same ESP32 chip and the same GPIO numbers.
GPIO Extension Board and breadboard The parts are wired straight to the board’s pins here, so the extension board is not drawn.
LEDs LED
LED bar graph LED bar graph, 10 segments
RGB LED RGB LED Set to common anode, as the kit’s is.
Freenove 8 RGB LED Module Addressable RGB LEDs Eight WS2812 LEDs in a strip.
220 ohm, 1k and 10k resistors Resistor
Push buttons Pushbutton
Rotary potentiometers Potentiometer
Photoresistor Light sensor
Thermistor Thermistor, 10k NTC
NPN transistors (8050) Transistor (NPN or PNP) Set to S8050.
Rectifier diode Diode
Active buzzer Buzzer
Passive buzzer Piezo speaker
Relay DPDT relay
DC motor DC motor
L293D Motor driver, L293D
Servo Hobby servo
Stepper motor and ULN2003 driver Stepper motor, 28BYJ-48 with ULN2003
Joystick Thumb stick
MPU6050 module Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050
74HC595 74HC595 shift register
I2C LCD1602 module Character LCD with I2C backpack
1-digit 7-segment display Seven segment display
4-digit 7-segment display Four-digit seven segment, multiplexed
4x4 keypad Keypad, 4x4
Infrared receiver Infrared receiver, VS1838B
Infrared remote Infrared remote, 21 buttons
DHT11 Temperature and humidity, DHT22 Played by a DHT22 here, wired the same way.
Infrared motion sensor (HC-SR501) Motion sensor
Ultrasonic ranging module (HC-SR04) Ultrasonic ranger
LED matrix (8x8) Not simulated yet; the MAX7219 matrix module is.
Camera Not simulated: the camera lesson needs its own firmware and the camera module.
Perfboard and pin headers The soldering projects are built on a breadboard here.
USB cable and jumper wires The editor connects the board for you, and wires are drawn between pins.

For the manual

A link and a QR code for this page

Print either one beside a lesson, or tape it inside the box lid. Both open this page.

mokxi.com/k/freenove-esp32

The code is black on white with a quiet border, so it prints and scans at any size from 2 cm up.

Download the QR code (SVG)

Make kits? See what we offer kit makers.

FAQ

Questions about this page

Is this made by Freenove?

No. Mokxi is independent and is not affiliated with Freenove. The page follows the kit’s lessons so you can use the two side by side; the circuits, sketches and explanations are Mokxi’s own.

Do I need the kit?

No. Every lesson that runs here runs in the browser, so you can try them before you buy a kit, or keep going while a part is missing or broken.

Is the code the same as in my manual?

The pins and the parts are the same, and the programs are MicroPython running on the real MicroPython firmware, with the same built-in modules. The code itself is written for this page, with comments that explain each step, and a few small drivers of our own stand in for the kit’s driver files, so it will not match the manual line for line.

What do "with a change" and "coming soon" mean?

A lesson marked "with a change" runs, but something differs from the kit, and the note under it says exactly what. "Coming soon" means we cannot simulate that lesson yet, and the note says why. We do not mark a lesson as running unless it does.

Is it free?

Yes. Every lesson on this page opens with no account. A free account saves your own copies of the circuits.