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1
Coding works best on desktop or with an external keyboard.
Read Analog Sensor - Tinygo Typing CST Test
Read Analog Sensor — Tinygo Code
Read a potentiometer on pin A0 and print the value to the serial console.
package main
import (
"machine"
"time"
"fmt"
)
func main() {
sensor := machine.ADC{Pin: machine.A0}
sensor.Configure()
for {
value := sensor.Get()
fmt.Println("Sensor value:", value)
time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
}
}Tinygo Language Guide
TinyGo is a Go compiler designed for small devices, microcontrollers, WebAssembly, and other constrained environments. It enables developers to write Go code that can run efficiently on hardware with limited resources.
Primary Use Cases
- ▸Programming microcontrollers and IoT devices in Go
- ▸Compiling Go code to WebAssembly for web applications
- ▸Rapid prototyping of embedded hardware projects
- ▸Creating low-memory, low-power applications
- ▸Teaching and experimenting with Go on constrained hardware
Notable Features
- ▸Small runtime footprint optimized for microcontrollers
- ▸Cross-compilation to multiple architectures
- ▸Support for WebAssembly output
- ▸Integration with Arduino and other embedded boards
- ▸Subset of Go standard library tailored for constrained devices
Origin & Creator
TinyGo was created by Jonathan Wright and contributors to extend the Go programming language to microcontrollers and WebAssembly in the 2010s.
Industrial Note
TinyGo is niche within embedded systems, IoT development, and WebAssembly applications where full Go runtime is too heavy or memory-limited devices are used.
Quick Explain
- ▸TinyGo allows Go developers to target microcontrollers and embedded devices.
- ▸Supports compiling Go code to WebAssembly for browser and server applications.
- ▸Optimized for small binary size and low memory usage.
- ▸Facilitates rapid development for IoT and embedded systems using familiar Go syntax.
- ▸Integrates with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other small boards for direct hardware control.
Core Features
- ▸TinyGo compiler for Go code targeting embedded systems
- ▸Hardware-specific packages for GPIO, I2C, SPI, PWM, UART
- ▸Support for Go slices, maps, structs, interfaces (subset)
- ▸Cross-platform compilation for ARM, AVR, RISC-V, WebAssembly
- ▸Integration with standard Go tooling where compatible
Learning Path
- ▸Learn Go basics and syntax
- ▸Understand TinyGo limitations and supported features
- ▸Practice with simple microcontroller projects
- ▸Explore peripherals and WebAssembly compilation
- ▸Develop full IoT applications with TinyGo
Practical Examples
- ▸Blinking an LED on Arduino or microcontroller
- ▸Reading temperature from a sensor via I2C
- ▸Controlling a servo motor using PWM
- ▸Compiling TinyGo program to WebAssembly for browser
- ▸Implementing a small IoT data logger with Wi-Fi
Comparisons
- ▸TinyGo vs Go - TinyGo subset for microcontrollers and WASM
- ▸TinyGo vs Arduino C/C++ - easier Go syntax, smaller ecosystem
- ▸TinyGo vs CircuitPython - faster, compiled, Go concurrency support
- ▸TinyGo vs Rust embedded - Go easier for beginners, Rust more memory-safe
- ▸TinyGo vs standard Go - TinyGo optimized for constrained environments
Strengths
- ▸Enables Go programming on microcontrollers
- ▸Optimized for memory- and resource-constrained devices
- ▸Supports WebAssembly for browser/server environments
- ▸Simplifies embedded development with Go syntax
- ▸Active open-source community and rapid updates
Limitations
- ▸Subset of Go language supported (not all packages available)
- ▸Limited debugging capabilities compared to full Go
- ▸Some hardware features require low-level programming
- ▸Performance may be lower than C/C++ on microcontrollers
- ▸Not suitable for full desktop/server Go applications
When NOT to Use
- ▸Full desktop/server Go applications
- ▸High-performance real-time systems requiring C-level control
- ▸Devices not supported by TinyGo runtime
- ▸Projects requiring full Go standard library
- ▸Applications needing complex OS-level services
Cheat Sheet
- ▸Pin - GPIO identifier on hardware
- ▸LED - digital output for testing
- ▸I2C/SPI/UART - communication protocols
- ▸tinygo build -o - compile code for target
- ▸WASM - WebAssembly output format
FAQ
- ▸Can I use all Go features in TinyGo? -> No, only a subset supported.
- ▸Which boards does TinyGo support? -> Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP, and others.
- ▸Can I deploy TinyGo code to WebAssembly? -> Yes.
- ▸Is TinyGo faster than Go? -> Faster on small devices due to smaller runtime, but depends on context.
- ▸Does TinyGo support concurrency? -> Yes, limited goroutine support for microcontrollers.
30-Day Skill Plan
- ▸Week 1: Blink LEDs and basic GPIO
- ▸Week 2: Read sensors via I2C/SPI
- ▸Week 3: Control motors and actuators
- ▸Week 4: WebAssembly TinyGo programs
- ▸Week 5: Build full embedded IoT project
Final Summary
- ▸TinyGo brings Go programming to microcontrollers and WebAssembly.
- ▸Optimized for small binaries, low memory, and embedded hardware.
- ▸Subset of Go standard library and syntax supported.
- ▸Ideal for IoT, robotics, and educational projects.
- ▸Open-source with active community and ongoing development.
Project Structure
- ▸Main Go source files (.go)
- ▸Hardware-specific packages (GPIO, I2C, SPI, etc.)
- ▸TinyGo configuration (target flags, options)
- ▸Optional WebAssembly build directory for WASM output
- ▸Documentation and README for project setup
Monetization
- ▸IoT product development
- ▸Embedded system consulting
- ▸TinyGo workshops and training
- ▸WebAssembly applications for clients
- ▸Educational kits for teaching embedded Go
Productivity Tips
- ▸Reuse hardware abstraction packages
- ▸Test incrementally on small devices
- ▸Use WebAssembly for rapid prototyping
- ▸Keep binaries small for constrained devices
- ▸Document target boards and peripherals
Basic Concepts
- ▸Go syntax - used for writing TinyGo programs
- ▸Microcontroller board - target hardware for code
- ▸Peripherals - GPIO, I2C, SPI, PWM, UART components
- ▸WebAssembly - target format for web applications
- ▸Package - collection of Go code, often hardware-specific