ESP-IDF Installation Manager

The ESP-IDF Installation Manager (EIM) is a unified tool that simplifies the setup process for ESP-IDF and integrated development environments (IDEs) across multiple platforms. This cross-platform installer facilitates the installation of prerequisites, ESP-IDF itself, and essential tools, offering a consistent and user-friendly experience on macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Features

Cross-Platform Support

• Windows (x64)
• macOS (x64, arm64)
• Linux (x64, arm64)

Multiple Interfaces

• Graphical User Interface (GUI): User-friendly interface with simplified and expert installation modes, now including visual version management and offline installation capabilities.
• Command Line Interface (CLI): Full functionality available through command line for automation and headless environments

Advanced Capabilities

• Multiple ESP-IDF version management: Easily view, manage, and switch between multiple installed ESP-IDF versions from a centralized dashboard.
• Configurable installation paths: Choose where your ESP-IDF environment is installed.
• Mirror selection for downloads: Select a preferred mirror for downloading ESP-IDF and tools.
• Prerequisites auto-detection and installation: EIM can automatically detect and install missing prerequisites on supported platforms (installation of prerequisities is supported only on windows).
• Configuration import/export: Save and share your installation configurations with others in your team.
• Headless operation support: Automate installations without user interaction.
• Offline installation support: Install the entire ESP-IDF environment without an active internet connection using a single archive.
• Utilize Existing ESP-IDF Repositories: EIM can use an already existing ESP-IDF Git repository on your filesystem to install all necessary tools, which is particularly useful for ESP-IDF development.

Integration Support

• CI/CD pipeline integration
• Docker container support
• GitHub Actions compatibility
• Configuration sharing between team members

User Experience

• Interactive wizards for guided installation
• Progress tracking and detailed logging
• Error recovery options
• Multiple language support
• Integrated issue reporting: Easily generate and report issues directly to GitHub.

Getting Started

1. Download the appropriate version for your platform from the GitHub or from dl.espressif.com mirror.
2. Launch the GUI for a visual installation experience or use the command line for automation.
3. The welcome page will adapt based on your environment:
   • No previous installation or offline archive: The installer will present options for a New Installation.
   • Offline archive detected: The installer will offer to Install from Archive or proceed with a New Installation from online sources.
   • Previous installation detected: The installer will offer to Manage Installations from the dashboard or start a New Installation.
4. Follow the installation steps for your chosen method.

For detailed instructions, see:

• Simplified Installation for GUI-based quick setup
• Expert Installation for advanced GUI configuration
• Command Line Installation for CLI usage
• Headless Usage for automated installations

Architecture

EIM is built with a modular architecture that separates the core functionality from the user interfaces. This allows both the GUI and CLI to provide the same capabilities while catering to different use cases.

┌─────────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐
│   GUI Frontend  │    │   CLI Frontend   │
└────────┬────────┘    └────────┬────────┘
         │                      │
         v                      v
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│           Core Installation            │
│            & Configuration             │
└────────────────────────────────────┬───┘
                                     │
                                     v
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│        ESP-IDF & Tools Manager         │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘

Contributing

EIM is an open-source project, and contributions are welcome. Visit our GitHub repository for:

• Source code
• Issue tracking
• Feature requests
• Pull requests

Support

If you need help with EIM:

• Check the FAQ for common questions
• Visit the ESP32 forum for community support
• Open an issue on GitHub for bug reports