I will appreciate it if you could develop a dedicated standalone IDE for the ESP32 and related processors. The same as what Microchip has done with the PIC processors through MPLAB-IDE.
To piggyback on Microsoft's Visual Studio and Eclipse, only create a nightmare to install and operate the ESP-IDE. You need a degree in lateral thinking to make it work properly, which by the way I was not yet able to do.
If you are serious about professional development of the ESP32 and related processors (which is possible) and compete with Microchip on the same level, a dedicated IDE with prober debug and register viewing capabilities would definitely benefit your product.
Dedicated Standalone ESP-IDE
Re: Dedicated Standalone ESP-IDE
I think using an industry-standard IDE has its advantages:
1. People are already familiar with it.
2. Developers don’t need to install additional (and often unnecessarily heavy) software.
3. Faster IDE updates, bug fixes, and a larger community.
4. Availability of a huge number of plugins and extensions.
While it may have been more complicated to set up the toolchain a few months ago, the process is now fully automated.
Getting started with Espressif's VS Code plug-in involves:
1. Installing prerequisites (step required only if you're using macOS or Linux).
2. Opening the VS Code Extensions panel and installing the ESP-IDF extension.
3. Running the configuration process.
You can find the details in the documentation: https://docs.espressif.com/projects/vsc ... en/latest/
If you encounter problems during the setup, you can post a specific question on this forum or open an issue on the plugin's GitHub repository: https://github.com/espressif/vscode-esp ... ree/master
1. People are already familiar with it.
2. Developers don’t need to install additional (and often unnecessarily heavy) software.
3. Faster IDE updates, bug fixes, and a larger community.
4. Availability of a huge number of plugins and extensions.
While it may have been more complicated to set up the toolchain a few months ago, the process is now fully automated.
Getting started with Espressif's VS Code plug-in involves:
1. Installing prerequisites (step required only if you're using macOS or Linux).
2. Opening the VS Code Extensions panel and installing the ESP-IDF extension.
3. Running the configuration process.
You can find the details in the documentation: https://docs.espressif.com/projects/vsc ... en/latest/
If you encounter problems during the setup, you can post a specific question on this forum or open an issue on the plugin's GitHub repository: https://github.com/espressif/vscode-esp ... ree/master
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pietermuller8
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2025 7:07 pm
Re: Dedicated Standalone ESP-IDE
I beg to differ, the process to get VS Code or Eclips working with ESP is cumbersome at best.
The problem with these general utilised IDE's is that they try to cater vir all but in this process become uterly dufficult and unreliable to manage and operate.
With a processor as good as an ESP32 that can become a leader in its market, one would expext a complimentary IDE as reliable an easy to operate as the procesor itself.
The problem with these general utilised IDE's is that they try to cater vir all but in this process become uterly dufficult and unreliable to manage and operate.
With a processor as good as an ESP32 that can become a leader in its market, one would expext a complimentary IDE as reliable an easy to operate as the procesor itself.
Re: Dedicated Standalone ESP-IDE
Hi Pieter,
Some month ago I would have aggred with you but now it so easy to install.
It can be difficult if you have already installed some extension to work with other target. But their is a simple trick that can help a lot to keep things simple. You must use the profile functionality of vscode : https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/configure/profiles
Create a new profile in vs code like : ESP ans install ESP-IDF in this profile. It works like charm !
Some month ago I would have aggred with you but now it so easy to install.
It can be difficult if you have already installed some extension to work with other target. But their is a simple trick that can help a lot to keep things simple. You must use the profile functionality of vscode : https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/configure/profiles
Create a new profile in vs code like : ESP ans install ESP-IDF in this profile. It works like charm !
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pietermuller8
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat May 03, 2025 7:07 pm
Re: Dedicated Standalone ESP-IDE
Again I do not agree.
The instilation was a nightmare. I managed it after a three day constant battel, only to find that your ESP_IDF Ver 5.4.1 is not ready and I downgraded, only then it started to work.
I now try to progress to the JTAG debuging, which also proof to be a cumbesome process. It seems nothing is easy with this VS Code platform. This should not be.
I suggest you seriously consider developing a proper standalaone IDE. The same as Micochip's MPLAB or even better.
In the profesional enviroment we just do not have the time to fuss around, as hobbiest would like to do.
There is no substitute for a direct plug and play solution.
The instilation was a nightmare. I managed it after a three day constant battel, only to find that your ESP_IDF Ver 5.4.1 is not ready and I downgraded, only then it started to work.
I now try to progress to the JTAG debuging, which also proof to be a cumbesome process. It seems nothing is easy with this VS Code platform. This should not be.
I suggest you seriously consider developing a proper standalaone IDE. The same as Micochip's MPLAB or even better.
In the profesional enviroment we just do not have the time to fuss around, as hobbiest would like to do.
There is no substitute for a direct plug and play solution.
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esp32.damiano
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2025 6:09 am
Re: Dedicated Standalone ESP-IDE
My experience, using a esp32-c6 ESPRESSIF-IDE and Linux devuan
why Linux ? because I wish to have a reliable environment
Let me be clear, things where different four years ago, so, adjust to current reality
Windows 11 requires a microsoft registration AND is totally unreliable, you never know when it is going to stop working
Eclipse, NOW, is forcing the use of CLANG and this result in
- compilation times at least tripled
- UNRELIABLE gui, that keeps messing with the code (no, it is not helping, it is messing)
- unreliable debugging that hang if processes are not stopped in the GUI desired order
(no, it is not a HW issue, I can go on forever if I just do the only reliable click)
eclipse BROKE the code formatting, with a NON working alternative, not even providing a migration path
summary: DUMP everything that has been done on eclipse in the last 4 years and provide a RELIABLE ide
I even tried to install eclipse and then the espressif plugin, the current eclipse is even worse than the one provided with espressif-IDE
why Linux ? because I wish to have a reliable environment
Let me be clear, things where different four years ago, so, adjust to current reality
Windows 11 requires a microsoft registration AND is totally unreliable, you never know when it is going to stop working
Eclipse, NOW, is forcing the use of CLANG and this result in
- compilation times at least tripled
- UNRELIABLE gui, that keeps messing with the code (no, it is not helping, it is messing)
- unreliable debugging that hang if processes are not stopped in the GUI desired order
(no, it is not a HW issue, I can go on forever if I just do the only reliable click)
eclipse BROKE the code formatting, with a NON working alternative, not even providing a migration path
summary: DUMP everything that has been done on eclipse in the last 4 years and provide a RELIABLE ide
I even tried to install eclipse and then the espressif plugin, the current eclipse is even worse than the one provided with espressif-IDE
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