FAQ
Questions
Is BoardPilot open source?
It is source-available. All the code is public on GitHub under the BoardPilot License: you can read, study, modify and build it. Using it after the 30-day trial needs a license key. The firmware (diagnostic agent and BoardPilotProbe library) is MIT licensed.
I am a complete beginner. Where do I start?
Start with the free lessons on this site: what a microcontroller is, then electronics basics, GPIO, buses, ADC and timers. You do not need a board: the app’s simulator (and the browser demo on this page) lets you wire parts and see what happens. When you get a board, an ESP32 DevKit or a Raspberry Pi Pico is a good first choice, and the app’s hands-on labs check your wiring with real measurements.
How is BoardPilot different from the Arduino IDE, PlatformIO or Wokwi?
Those are tools for writing code (Arduino IDE, PlatformIO) or simulating it in the browser (Wokwi), and they do that very well. BoardPilot sits next to them and looks at the board: it checks your wiring against the pin rules, measures pins and buses on the real board, backs up the flash before any write and explains each result with its source. Many people write code in their usual editor and use BoardPilot to wire, check and debug.
Do the demos on this page call an AI?
The recorded conversations do not: they are real conversations with Claude, recorded once and replayed in your browser. In the live demo, the assistant answers with the free demo AI only when you ask it something. Everything else in the demos, including the checks and the simulated board, runs in your browser.
Which boards does it support?
ESP32 DevKit, ESP32-S3 and ESP32-C3 DevKits, Raspberry Pi Pico, Pico W and Pico 2, Arduino Uno, Nano and Mega, STM32 Nucleo-F401RE and Black Pill, Nordic nRF52840 DK and Teensy 4.1. Boards are data files, so more are easy to add.
My computer warns that the app is from an unknown developer.
The early builds are not signed yet. On Mac, right-click BoardPilot in Applications and choose Open (or System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway). On Windows, click More info → Run anyway in the SmartScreen window.
Do I need a board to try it?
No. Simulator mode runs the whole app with a virtual board and realistic faults: crossed wires, a fake BME280, brownouts, wrong baud rate.
Does it need the internet or an AI account?
No. Checks, measurements and the simulator work offline. The AI assistant is optional: try it with the free demo (a limited, older Gemini model, for testing only) or use your own key for Claude, GPT or Gemini.
What does it install on my board?
Only when you confirm: a small diagnostic agent that lets the app read pins and run bus tests. Your program is backed up first and comes back with one click.
Can my AI coding agent use it?
Yes, since 0.6. BoardPilot runs a local MCP server (off by default, localhost only). Claude Code, Cursor and Claude Desktop can then identify the board, scan I2C, read pins and check wiring and code. Every result says whether it was measured or read from a datasheet, and nothing is written to the board without your click in the app.
Can I learn embedded with it?
Yes. The app has 11 visual lessons, from what a microcontroller is to RTOS and a senior roadmap, with interactive demos. Labs are checked on your board (or in the simulator), three portfolio projects are built stage by stage, and an interview coach helps you practise.