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Install the Arduino tools

Arduino offers two options to manage the boards and libraries.

  • The Arduino-CLI provides a command-line interface for Arduino.

  • The Arduino IDE brings a GUI.

Note

If emCode is used on Windows Sub-system for Linux, install the Arduino tools on the Linux environment.

Use the Arduino-CLI

Install the Arduino-CLI

To install the Arduino-CLI under ~/.local/bin,

  • Open a Terminal window;

  • Run

$
$
cd ~/.local
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/arduino/arduino-cli/master/install.sh | sh
  • Ensure that ~/.local/bin is listed in $PATH.
$
echo $PATH

Otherwise,

  • Edit ~/.bashrc
$
nano ~/.bashrc
  • Add ~/.local/bin to $PATH
export PATH=$PATH:~/.local/bin
  • Save and close with Ctrl+O and Ctrl+X.

For more information,

Configure Arduino-CLI

To configure Arduino-CLI,

  • Open a Terminal window;

  • Run

$
arduino-cli config init
Config file written to: ~/.arduino15/arduino-cli.yaml
  • Edit it with
$
nano ~/.arduino15/arduino-cli.yaml
  • Set the sketchbook folder;
  user: ~/Projects/Arduino
  • Save and close with Ctrl+O and Ctrl+X.

For more information,

Install additional boards

  • Open a Terminal window;

  • Run

$
arduino-cli core install arduino:avr

The parameter arduino:avr refers to the name of the boards.

Add URLs for new boards

  • Open the configuration file arduino-cli.yaml;
$
nano ~/.arduino15/arduino-cli.yaml
  • Add the other boards;
board_manager:
  additional_urls:
  - https://adafruit.github.io/arduino-board-index/package_adafruit_index.json
  - https://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_mbed_index.json
  - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json
  - https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json
  - https://files.seeedstudio.com/arduino/package_seeeduino_boards_index.json
  - https://github.com/stm32duino/BoardManagerFiles/raw/main/package_stmicroelectronics_index.json
  - https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/package_teensy_index.json
  - https://github.com/ambiot/ambd_arduino/raw/master/Arduino_package/package_realtek.com_amebad_index.json
  • Save and close with Ctrl+O and Ctrl+X.

Install additional libraries

  • Open a Terminal window;

  • Run

$
arduino-cli lib install ArduinoBLE

Check and update the boards

  • Open a Terminal window;

  • Check the cores

$
$
arduino-cli core update-index
arduino-cli core upgrade

Check and update the libraries

  • Open a Terminal window;

  • Check the libraries.

$
$
arduino-cli lib update-index
arduino-cli lib upgrade

Use the Arduino IDE

Install the Arduino IDE

To install the Arduino IDE,

  • Download and install Arduino 2.0 or later from Arduino under the ~/Applications folder.

  • Launch it.

Warning

All releases of Arduino prior to release 2.0, including 0023, 1.0 and 1.5, and series 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8, are deprecated and not longer supported.

  • Define the path of the sketchbook folder in the menu Arduino > Preferences > Sketchbook location.

  • Avoid spaces in the name and path of the sketchbook folder.

In this example, the sketchbook folder is ~/Projects/Arduino.

The Arduino 2.0 IDE provides two procedures to manage additional boards and libraries.

For more information,

Configure the Arduino IDE

To configure the Arduino IDE,

  • Call the menu File > Preferences… or press Ctrl+, to open the Preferences window;

  • Confirm the Sketchbook location, for example ~/Projects/Arduino;

  • Click on OK to close the window.

Install additional boards

The Arduino IDE includes a Boards Manager for downloading and installing additional boards. It relies on a list of URLs set in the Preferences pane.

Either

  • Select the board icon on the left pane.

or

  • Call the menu Tools > Board > Boards Manager…

A new pane lists all the boards available, already installed or ready for installation, based on a set of URLs.

  • Select the board and click on Install.

If the board isn’t listed, the URL needs to be added manually.

For more information on the installation of the additional boards on the Arduino IDE,

For more information on the installation of the additional boards on the Arduino IDE,

Add URLs for new boards

The Boards Manager lists the boards based on a set of URLs. To add a new board, the relevant URL should be added. The URL corresponds to a JSON file.

https://adafruit.github.io/arduino-board-index/package_adafruit_index.json
https://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_mbed_index.json
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json
https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json
https://files.seeedstudio.com/arduino/package_seeeduino_boards_index.json
https://github.com/stm32duino/BoardManagerFiles/raw/main/package_stmicroelectronics_index.json
https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/package_teensy_index.json
https://github.com/ambiot/ambd_arduino/raw/master/Arduino_package/package_realtek.com_amebad_index.json
  • Call the menu Arduino > Preferences or press Cmd+,.

This is the preference window, with a list of URLs at Additional Boards Manager URLs.

  • Select the Settings pane.

  • Click on the button at the right of Additional Boards Manager URLs.

  • Paste the URL with the JSON file. There should be one URL per line.

  • Click OK.

  • Call the menu Tools > Board > Boards Manager…

For more information on the installation of the additional boards on the Arduino IDE,

Manage specific boards

Some boards require a specific procedure.

Update the boards

To update the boards,

  • Call the menu Tools > Board > Boards Manager…

  • Set the Type to Upgradable.

The left pane displays all the boards to be updated.

  • Select the board and click on Update.

  • Once all boards are updated, click on Close.

Install additional libraries

The Arduino IDE includes a Libraries Manager for downloading and installing additional libraries. It relies on a list of URLs managed centrally by Arduino.

Either

  • Select the library icon on the left pane.

or

  • Call the menu Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries…

A new window lists all the libraries available, already installed or ready for installation, based on a set of URLs.

  • Select the library and click on Install.

For more information on the installation of the additional libraries on the Arduino IDE,

Update the libraries

To update the libraries,

  • Call the menu Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries…

  • Set the Type to Upgradable.

The left pane displays all the libraries to be updated.

  • Select the library and click on Update.

  • Once all boards are updated, click on Close.