How to Use the Command 'pio boards' (with Examples)

The pio boards command is a versatile utility in the PlatformIO ecosystem, which is used extensively in the development of embedded systems. PlatformIO is an open-source ecosystem tailored for IoT development and is equipped with a build system, libraries, and a serial monitor, among other features. Within this ecosystem, the pio boards command serves a crucial role by providing developers with a list of embedded boards that are pre-configured and ready for use. These embedded boards, which represent different hardware environments, can include microcontrollers, development boards, and similar hardware platforms. PlatformIO supports a multitude of these boards, thus the pio boards command becomes essential for developers to identify compatible board configurations for their projects.

Use Case 1: List All Available Boards

Code:

pio boards

Motivation:

As an embedded systems developer, one often needs to find a suitable board configuration that matches the hardware available in their workspace. Given the vast array of embedded boards supported by PlatformIO, having an accessible list of all the available options ensures that developers can quickly identify and choose a board that meets the technical requirements of their current project. This is particularly useful when starting a new project or exploring potential hardware upgrades. It allows for exploration without needing to trawl through extensive documentation or specs manually.

Explanation:

The pio boards command without any additional arguments is the most straightforward and essential invocation of the command. This command queries the PlatformIO database and returns a comprehensive list of all supported embedded boards. In this context, “all available boards” signifies every board configuration supported by PlatformIO, making it an exhaustive list regardless of whether the corresponding platform is installed locally or not. This is particularly useful for getting an overview of all possible options available within the entire PlatformIO ecosystem.

Example Output:

Running the command will yield an extensive list akin to this fictionalized output:

ID         | Platform   | Board Name          | MCU        | Frequency | Flash
===========|============|=====================|============|===========|=======
uno        | atmelavr   | Arduino Uno         | ATmega328P | 16MHz     | 32KB  
esp32dev   | espressif32| Espressif ESP32 Dev | ESP32      | 240MHz    | 4MB   
nrf52840dk | nordicnrf52| Nordic nRF52840 DK  | nRF52840   | 64MHz     | 1MB   

In this output, each board is represented with its unique identifier ‘ID’, associated platform, the board name, the microcontroller unit ‘MCU’ it employs, its processing frequency, and available flash memory. This provides a quick reference point for developers to assess the capabilities and appropriateness of different boards for specific tasks.

Use Case 2: List Only Boards from Installed Platforms

Code:

pio boards --installed

Motivation:

In situations where time is a critical factor, and rapid prototyping is necessary, developers can streamline their workflow by listing only the boards that can be immediately utilized because they belong to platforms already installed on their development environment. This targeted approach saves time by narrowing down the list of potential boards to those for which the necessary resources and dependencies are already satisfied. This is particularly pragmatic when dealing with large, multicore projects where narrowing down the scope of available boards can substantially reduce decision-making time.

Explanation:

The --installed argument modifies the pio boards command to filter output, showing only those board configurations that are available because the necessary platform dependencies are present on the developer’s machine. With it, PlatformIO conducts a local check against installed platforms instead of querying the full, comprehensive database of all potential board configurations. In this way, the command’s scope is narrowed down to already supported hardware configurations within the developer’s current environment.

Example Output:

Assuming platforms for ‘atmelavr’ and ’espressif32’ are installed, the output might look like the following:

ID         | Platform   | Board Name          | MCU        | Frequency | Flash
===========|============|=====================|============|===========|=======
uno        | atmelavr   | Arduino Uno         | ATmega328P | 16MHz     | 32KB  
esp32dev   | espressif32| Espressif ESP32 Dev | ESP32      | 240MHz    | 4MB   

The output is limited to boards supported by the installed platforms, making it easier to quickly select a compatible board without sifting through unneeded options.

Conclusion:

The pio boards command, with its capability to reveal expansive data on embedded board configurations, is a powerful tool for developers within the PlatformIO ecosystem. Its function can be tailored to show all available board options or to be constrained to those immediately available with installed platforms, hence accommodating both exploratory situations and time-sensitive development phases. By mastering these fundamental use cases, developers can leverage PlatformIO’s robustness and flexibility to enhance productivity and streamline the selection process during embedded systems development.