CircuitPython 9.1.0-beta.2

This is CircuitPython 9.1.0-beta.2, a beta for CircuitPython 9.1.0, and is a new unstable release. This release has known bugs that will be addressed before 9.1.0 final.

WARNING for nRF52 boards only: If your board has an nRF52 UF2 bootloader whose version is before 0.6.1, you will not be able to load CircuitPython 8.2.0 and later, due to increased size of the firmware. See these instructions for updating your bootloader.

Notable changes since 9.0.0

Incompatibility warnings

• API changes to floppyio.
• String values in settings.toml must be quoted.

Audio

• RP2040 I2SOut supports BLCK and LRCLK in either order.
• ESP32-S3 supports audiomp3.

Built-in modules

• Enhance collections.deque functionality.
• Add keypad_demux.DemuxKeyMatrix: use multiplexer for one side of a keypad matrix.
• Add integration-based debouncing to keypad.
• supervisor.Runtime.serial_bytes_available now returns a count instead of a bool.
• Incompatible change: floppyio improvements, including API changes.

Graphics

• fourwire.FourWire: chip_select pin is now optional.
• picodvi now supports 640x240 and 800x240 resolutions.

Internal

• Espressif: update to ESP-IDF v5.2.1.
• Espressif: Change task-switching quantum to 1 millisecond from 10 milliseconds.

Networking

• Implement ssl module for anything that provides socket.

Ports

• New port for renode hardware simulator.

Supervisor

• String values in settings.toml must be quoted.

USB

• max3421e USB host support.
• Allow user-specified names for usb_midi interfaces and jacks.

Download from circuitpython.org

Firmware downloads are available from the downloads page on circuitpython.org. The site makes it easy to select the correct file and language for your board.

Installation

To install follow the instructions in the Welcome to CircuitPython! guide. To install the latest libraries, see this page in that guide.

Try the latest version of the Mu editor for creating and editing your CircuitPython programs and for easy access to the CircuitPython serial connection (the REPL).

Documentation

Documentation is available in readthedocs.io.

Port status

CircuitPython has a number of "ports" that are the core implementations for different microcontroller families. Stability varies on a per-port basis. As of this release, these ports are consider stable (but see Known Issues below):

• atmel-samd: Microchip SAMD21, SAMx5x
• cxd56: Sony Spresense
• espressif: Espressif ESP32, ESP32-S2, ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3
• nordic: Nordic nRF52840, nRF52833
• raspberrypi: Raspberry Pi RP2040
• stm: ST STM32F4 chip family

These ports are considered alpha and will have bugs and missing functionality:

• broadcom: Raspberry Pi boards such as RPi 4, RPi Zero 2W
• litex: fomu
• mimxrt10xx: NXP i.MX RT10xxx
• renode: hardware simulator
• silabs: Silicon Labs MG24 family
• stm: ST non-STM32F4 chip families

Changes since 9.1.0-beta.1

Fixes and enhancements

• Update frozen libraries. #9250. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Implement ssl module for anything that provides socket. #8954. Thanks @jepler.
• Make sure the os.getcwd() is / after VM restart. #9224. Thanks @bill88t.

Port and board-specific changes

Broadcom

Espressif

• Enable audiomp3 on ESP32-S3. #9218. Thanks @jepler.
• Allow user-specified socket connect timeout. #9210. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Use -Os for all 4MB builds, to save space. #9207. Thanks @tannewt.
• Clear UART input buffer on creation, to avoid stray junk bytes. #9193. Thanks @dhalbert.

i.MX

nordic

renode

• New port for renode simulator. #9199. Thanks @tannewt.

RP2040

• Fix I2CTarget restart requests. #9236. Thanks @mirskytech.
• Improve time.monotonic_ns() resolution by adding subticks internally. #9229. Thanks @timchinowsky.

SAMx

SiLabs

Spresense

STM

Individual boards

• Adafruit Feather nRF52840: add board.NEOPIXEL_POWER support, available in board Rev E. #9246. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Challenger RP2040 LTE: Fix pin assignment. #9249. Thanks @mirskytech.
• M5Stack AtomS3U: fix pin typo. #9212. Thanks @n3o59hf.
• Waveshare ESP32-S3-GEEK: update pin names: #9194. Thanks @RetiredWizard.
• Waveshare RP2040-GEEK: update pin names: #9194. Thanks @RetiredWizard.

Documentation changes

• Fix typos in _bleio.Adapter.start_advertising() documentation. #9248. Thanks @andrewguest.
• Improve I2CTarget documentation. #9236. Thanks @mirskytech.

Build and infrastructure changes

• Add Adafruit_CircuitPython_Bitmap_Fonts to frozen libraries. #9202. Thanks @bradanlane.

Translation additions and improvements

• Thanks for translations:
  • @andibing (English - UK)
  • @hexthat (Chinese - Pinyin)

New boards since 9.1.0-beta.1

• Adafruit Pixel Trinkey M0. #9189. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Adafruit TRRS Trinkey M0. #9190. Thanks @dhalbert.
• AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM. #9231. Thanks @gitcnd.
• Spotpear ESP32C3 with 1.44" LCD. #9210. Thanks @SeanTheITGuy.
• Waveshare ESP32S3 LCD 1.28". #9205, #9192. Thanks @SeanTheITGuy and @bill88t.
• WEMOS LOLIN32 Lite. #9206. Thanks @bill88t.

Known issues

• See https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues for other issues, including issues still to be addressed for:
  • 9.0.x
  • 9.1.0
  • 9.x.x
  • long term

Thanks

Thank you to all who used, tested, and contributed since 9.1.0-beta.1, including the contributors above, and many others on GitHub and Discord. Join us on the Discord chat to collaborate.