TinyPanel Studio is an open-source platform for building, flashing, and streaming Canvas apps to ESP32 displays. Configure hardware, manage apps, edit code live, preview changes instantly, and debug devices from your browser.
The ESP32 acts as a thin display client. Applications run on the server and send compact RGB565 updates over one ACK-controlled TCP connection, so most UI changes appear on the panel without reflashing it.
- Browser-based app library and CodeMirror editor with live updates
- Hybrid Canvas renderer with compact vector commands and RGB565 fallback
- JPEG video-frame transport and ESP32-side streaming decode
- Built-in Crypto Tracker, Synthwave, and blank starter apps
- Exact browser preview of the bytes sent to the display
- Optional transfer-rate diagnostics and serial monitor
- Versioned PlatformIO firmware builds and browser-triggered flashing
- Legacy vector and HTML screenshot renderers for comparison
The currently validated hardware target is an ESP32-C3 Super Mini with a 160x128 ST7735S SPI display. More controllers, panels, buses, and configurable pin mappings are planned in ROADMAP.md.
Requirements: Node.js 20+, npm, and PlatformIO for firmware build/flash tools.
npm ci
npm startOpen http://localhost:8766. For an IDE panel that only shows the live display
preview and coordinate grid, open http://localhost:8766/preview. The device
stream listens on TCP port 8765.
Selecting an app in the left sidebar switches the program rendered on connected
displays. The legacy Synthwave demo remains available with
npm run start:synthwave.
Run the generated video test stream with a server-local clock with:
npm run start:videoSet DISPLAY_VIDEO_SOURCE to a local video file or camera input understood by
ffmpeg, or a network stream URL to replace the generated test pattern.
For the ESP32, copy firmware/display-client/secrets.h.example to
firmware/display-client/secrets.h, enter the Wi-Fi credentials, and set the
server's LAN address in display_client.ino. Then build and upload:
cd firmware/display-client
pio run -e esp32-c3-super-mini -t uploadSee the server guide, application JSDoc configuration, firmware guide, and wire protocol for details.
If TinyPanel Studio is useful to you, you can support its development at donatello.to/hoxz.