ESP32 Tutorials: Chapter1 - Lesson1: Introduction, Features, and Different Types
Introduction
If you are interested to IoT, robotics, or smart devices, you've probably heard of the ESP32. But what makes this tiny microcontroller so special that most engineers and hobbyist prefer it over Arduino or Raspberry pi
In this tutorial, we’ll take a look at the ESP32 and its features, specifications, and different versions. By the end of this post, you’ll know which ESP32 module is right for your project!
What is ESP32?
The ESP32 is a high-performance microcontroller developed by Espressif Systems. It’s the successor to the ESP8266 but with massive improvements in processing power, connectivity, and functionality.
ESP8266 vs ESP32 Comparison:
The ESP32 is like a mini-computer that allows you to build smart, connected devices without needing external Wi-Fi or Bluetooth modules. Best of all, it’s extremely affordable, about $5.
ESP32 Key Features
Here are the main reasons why ESP32 is so powerful:
- Dual-Core Processing Power
Unlike the ESP8266, which has a single-core processor, ESP32 comes with a dual-core Tensilica Xtensa LX6 running at up to 240 MHz. This allows multitasking—one core can handle Wi-Fi communication while the other runs application logic. - Built-in Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
With both Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) and Bluetooth (Classic + BLE), ESP32 is perfect for IoT applications that require wireless connectivity. - GPIOs: 34+ Pins for Customization
ESP32 has over 34 General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins, allowing flexibility for connecting sensors, motors, displays, and more.
4.Low Power Modes for Battery-Powered Projects
ESP32 has multiple low-power modes, such as Deep Sleep, where it consumes as little as 10µA, making it ideal for battery-powered applications.
5.ADC, DAC, and PWM Support
ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) – Reads sensor values
DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) – Outputs analog signals
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) – Controls brightness, motor speed, etc.
ESP32 vs Other Microcontrollers
While the Arduino Uno R4 WiFi does have built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it still lacks the dual-core power, multiple ADC channels, and low-power modes of ESP32. Raspberry Pi, on the other hand, is more of a mini-computer, while ESP32 is a microcontroller.
Different Types of ESP32
Not all ESP32s are the same! Here are some of the most common variants:
ESP32-WROOM-32
Most common version
Ideal for general IoT and DIY projectsESP32-WROVER
Comes with additional PSRAM
Perfect for AI, image processing, and complex applicationsESP32-CAM
Has a built-in camera
Used for security cameras, face recognition, and QR code scannersESP32-S2 & ESP32-S3
Newer models with built-in USB support
Ideal for AI vision projectsESP32-C3
Based on RISC-V architecture instead of Xtensa
Optimized for ultra-low power and Bluetooth 5.0
There are also other types and variations but here we named the most common ones.
Real-World Applications of ESP32
Here are some common use cases for ESP32:
🏠 Home Automation – Smart lights, IoT switches
🤖 Robotics – ESP32-powered robots
📶 IoT Sensors – Weather stations, remote monitoring
📷 Security Cameras – ESP32-CAM for face recognition
That’s it for this introduction, In the next tutorial, we’ll set up ESP32 with Arduino IDE,PlatformIO and ESP-IDF so you can start programming. thanks for following and reading my content.
▶️ 3Speak
!LUV
(3/5) sent you LUV. | tools | discord | community | HiveWiki | <>< daily@hadif66, @happyphoenix
!discovery 30
A little encouragement dear creator 😉
Thanks, this means a lot to me, just wait for my next projects I have a lot of cool ideas 👍🙏
Great
Looking forward to it
Great video friend. Very well explained. Might need to do extra research lol.
!diy
Sure! Since the content style on DIYHub is focused on practicality, I started with a brief introduction, and my upcoming videos will feature hands-on examples and walkthroughs. Thanks for the helpful advice!
That's Great.
Thank you for always sharing.
Just a tip for consideration. If you could also do a "200" words brief summary of the video. That would be great, a most people would prefer to read.
Nevertheless, fine work.
This is my first video on 3speak, I didn't know it is also going to be shared on peakd, and right now I am working on writing the whole text here as well
Amazing.
Yeah it's great. Your gets published on the hive blockchain also so everyone can seem regardless, mine is just a suggestion, it's not mandatory.
Don't hesitate to ask me anything you found confusing on here. Can be a bit overwhelming a times, even for an experience author.
I've been around seven years and a still get confused and ask lots of questions sometimes, lol
Thanks again for the help, sure I will try to ask first in the future and also now I edited the post and fixed it.
Im trying to get chatgtp ai coding bots to write hove code for my esp32 nerdminer and geekmagic btc weather clock displays to show hive posts and login with hive posting key to show posts as text beadlines and image thumbnail, or just text.... and it woule then let you use the single touch button to click a post and read its text and comments with each comnent you can hold down or double tao the whol3 post whole reading to uovote then triple tap or hold to go back. Then tou can browse more hive posts ON A TINY toych screen "hive miner" and it woule be amazing to just read hive posts from a $8 to $20 device dedicated for curating hive posts via titles or reading full text or oeeviews
A larger device could be used like with a e ink display or a lillygo with meshtastic to display text or posts easier and allow better than touchscreen keybaord teplies using lillygo t deck blackberry style keyboards... that way you could type replies from a dedicated hive post browser using an esp32 and even meshtastic to foreward posts and upvote signings but thatd requure an esp32 fo handle hive signer or keychain or hiveauth and i think its possible but now its getting into the realm of science fiction and cyber punk
Altho i am not that excited to work on this becaude i know hive wont cate if i end uo making something incredible like that becauee ill have to use ai... so if i jist dont mention ai theyll probably get more impressed
The end result will be the first dedicated hive post viewing and curation device .... i think we need a hive miner that just displays posts and leta you upvote
Sounds like a nice project, you can also use AI to learn the codes and wiring faster, but be creative and original with your implementation, in today's world, from small companies to big ones, not many people do the old style coding, when the calculator invented people stopped using abacus! AI won't reolace us, first it was drawing on stones then came abacus and then computers and now AI.
Just improve your coding knowledge and be creative, AI is your friend.
You can query your personal balance by
@stevenson7 just sent you a DIY token as a little appreciation for your post dear @hadif66! Feel free to multiply it by sending someone else !DIY in a comment :) You can do that x times a day depending on your balance so:!DIYSTATSCool, thanks for letting me know.
Congratulations @hadif66! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain And have been rewarded with New badge(s)
Your next target is to reach 600 replies.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out our last posts:
This post was shared and voted inside the discord by the curators team of discovery-it
Join our Community and follow our Curation Trail
Discovery-it is also a Witness, vote for us here
Delegate to us for passive income. Check our 80% fee-back Program