5 ms·

Show HN: Flash your ESP32 from the browser using JavaScript

48 points by jstroem 5y ago

jstroem 5y ago
Hi HN Here to show a little library that makes it easier to write custom JavaScript code that flashes ESP32s. The library uses the new WebSerial API available in Edge and Chrome browsers.
- retox 5y ago
  Not to belittle your project, I'm all for hackers hacking on interesting projects, but I really am confused why such an API exists within the browser. The MDN page talks about browser connected 3D printers and boards like the ESP32, but boggles my mind that time and energy was expended to enable this.
  - zinekeller 5y ago
    Knowing that Chromebooks exists should give you the rough answer why does this exists.
    - retox 5y ago
      Do Chromebooks only run a browser? I never really looked into them.
      - zinekeller 5y ago
        No longer (it now also runs Android* and certain Linux applications), but at the time Google proposed Web(MIDI/USB/Bluetooth) ChromeOS was only a browser-based operating system. * Works on their x86 models, but depending on the specific application it's slower due to translation. Android apps runs best on ARM models.
  - schwartzworld 5y ago
    One of the big benefits of web apps, is that they are truly portable. I can run my app on any machine with a relatively up-to-date web browser. Like it or not, this is leading to more and more serious work being done in the browser. Aren't APIs like this almost inevitable?
    - lpcvoid 5y ago
      I really, honestly hope that this by some miracle will not happen. The "modern web" is the most bloated, slow and inefficient mess imaginable. Not knocking the browsers themselves, those are marvels of engineering, but yeah.
      - pjmlp 5y ago
        I will give you three reasons why it will happen: - ChromeOS - Project Fugu - Microsoft collaboration regarding Chrome and PWA adoption
  - emilfihlman 5y ago
    The value proposition of this is pretty great, actually, and the implementation of it can be rather simple even though the actual interfaces underneath are rather fucked up historically because at it's core it's merely just getting a stream of bytes in/out.
  - Shish2k 5y ago
    Chrome is no longer “a browser”, it’s more like the new JVM - the “write once, run anywhere” platform for desktop app deployment
- orangepanda 5y ago
  > available in Edge and Chrome browsers Edge having better support for new features than firefox.. Truly a brave new world
  - swiley 5y ago
    The same was true of Active-X with IE at one point.
  - sitzkrieg 5y ago
    and its chromium
zuzkins 5y ago
Ah, perfect. Was playing with Toit last Friday and it took me some time to successfully flash my device (for some reason could not easily find the instructions). I also shortened and destroyed my ESP32 (while not paying enough attention :D) and more are coming this week, so will give this a try! The whole platform looks really interesting.
sorz 5y ago
Want to know when Firefox will support Web Serial API, but turn out they won't since they consider it harmful: https://mozilla.github.io/standards-positions/#webserial https://mozilla.github.io/standards-positions/#webserial
- Shish2k 5y ago
  This makes sense when you realise Firefox is trying to be a web browser, and Chrome is trying to be an operating system...
- OJFord 5y ago
  And isn't the submission a prime example (of how it could be misused)? Consider: > Show HN: Trick people into flashing their ESP32s with your firmware by visiting your web page
  - andylynch 5y ago
    Thinking about libidevice and webusb I’d be curious to try doing this with an iPhone.
  - tyingq 5y ago
    Chrome does let you know what it's doing: https://icircuit.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image-6.png https://icircuit.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image-6.png You can try a demo here: https://unjavascripter-web-serial-example.glitch.me/ https://unjavascripter-web-serial-example.glitch.me/
- cinntaile 5y ago
  They're going to have to implement this sooner or later if they want to remain relevant. More and more happens in the browser, regardless of whether they like it or not.
  - yesimahuman 5y ago
    Yes, as a FF user it’s becoming more and more clear that FF is falling behind on implementing new APIs. It’s frustrating having to keep Chrome around to load certain web apps. I ran into this specific API following the great blues wireless tutorial (cell connectivity cards and dev cards with ESP32 support) which only works in Chrome https://dev.blues.io/get-started/quickstart/notecarrier-af/ https://dev.blues.io/get-started/quickstart/notecarrier-af/
bessarabov 5y ago
https://github.com/esphome/esp-web-tools https://github.com/esphome/esp-web-tools
- jstroem 5y ago
  Thanks for sharing, didn't know this implementation. Seems like they use a fork of https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_WebSerial_ESPTool/ https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_WebSerial_ESPTool/ which was the first implementation of this as far as I know.
qalmakka 5y ago
Who thought that an API to connect to serial devices from browsers was a good idea? It seems kind of dangerous to me.
- jstroem 5y ago
  I would say the same thing for using a webcam in the browser or accessing the filesystem. But yet everyone use it today and a world without it is unimaginable. Wrapping functionality with the right security is key, but I browsers in general is already doing a good job in that regard IMO.
  - qalmakka 5y ago
    Yes, but I really don't see the usecase for letting something potentially remote and untrusted to a serial device. How many people do actually need that? (Limited) filesystem access for web applications is also kind of dubious, outside of the trusty upload form.

48 points by jstroem 5y ago

Hi HN Here to show a little library that makes it easier to write custom JavaScript code that flashes ESP32s. The library uses the new WebSerial API available in Edge and Chrome browsers.

retox 5y ago
Not to belittle your project, I'm all for hackers hacking on interesting projects, but I really am confused why such an API exists within the browser. The MDN page talks about browser connected 3D printers and boards like the ESP32, but boggles my mind that time and energy was expended to enable this.
- zinekeller 5y ago
  Knowing that Chromebooks exists should give you the rough answer why does this exists.
  - retox 5y ago
    Do Chromebooks only run a browser? I never really looked into them.
    - zinekeller 5y ago
      No longer (it now also runs Android* and certain Linux applications), but at the time Google proposed Web(MIDI/USB/Bluetooth) ChromeOS was only a browser-based operating system. * Works on their x86 models, but depending on the specific application it's slower due to translation. Android apps runs best on ARM models.
- schwartzworld 5y ago
  One of the big benefits of web apps, is that they are truly portable. I can run my app on any machine with a relatively up-to-date web browser. Like it or not, this is leading to more and more serious work being done in the browser. Aren't APIs like this almost inevitable?
  - lpcvoid 5y ago
    I really, honestly hope that this by some miracle will not happen. The "modern web" is the most bloated, slow and inefficient mess imaginable. Not knocking the browsers themselves, those are marvels of engineering, but yeah.
    - pjmlp 5y ago
      I will give you three reasons why it will happen: - ChromeOS - Project Fugu - Microsoft collaboration regarding Chrome and PWA adoption
- emilfihlman 5y ago
  The value proposition of this is pretty great, actually, and the implementation of it can be rather simple even though the actual interfaces underneath are rather fucked up historically because at it's core it's merely just getting a stream of bytes in/out.
- Shish2k 5y ago
  Chrome is no longer “a browser”, it’s more like the new JVM - the “write once, run anywhere” platform for desktop app deployment
orangepanda 5y ago
> available in Edge and Chrome browsers Edge having better support for new features than firefox.. Truly a brave new world
- swiley 5y ago
  The same was true of Active-X with IE at one point.
- sitzkrieg 5y ago
  and its chromium

zuzkins 5y ago

Ah, perfect. Was playing with Toit last Friday and it took me some time to successfully flash my device (for some reason could not easily find the instructions). I also shortened and destroyed my ESP32 (while not paying enough attention :D) and more are coming this week, so will give this a try! The whole platform looks really interesting.

sorz 5y ago

Want to know when Firefox will support Web Serial API, but turn out they won't since they consider it harmful: https://mozilla.github.io/standards-positions/#webserial https://mozilla.github.io/standards-positions/#webserial

Shish2k 5y ago
This makes sense when you realise Firefox is trying to be a web browser, and Chrome is trying to be an operating system...
OJFord 5y ago
And isn't the submission a prime example (of how it could be misused)? Consider: > Show HN: Trick people into flashing their ESP32s with your firmware by visiting your web page
- andylynch 5y ago
  Thinking about libidevice and webusb I’d be curious to try doing this with an iPhone.
- tyingq 5y ago
  Chrome does let you know what it's doing: https://icircuit.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image-6.png https://icircuit.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image-6.png You can try a demo here: https://unjavascripter-web-serial-example.glitch.me/ https://unjavascripter-web-serial-example.glitch.me/
cinntaile 5y ago
They're going to have to implement this sooner or later if they want to remain relevant. More and more happens in the browser, regardless of whether they like it or not.
- yesimahuman 5y ago
  Yes, as a FF user it’s becoming more and more clear that FF is falling behind on implementing new APIs. It’s frustrating having to keep Chrome around to load certain web apps. I ran into this specific API following the great blues wireless tutorial (cell connectivity cards and dev cards with ESP32 support) which only works in Chrome https://dev.blues.io/get-started/quickstart/notecarrier-af/ https://dev.blues.io/get-started/quickstart/notecarrier-af/

bessarabov 5y ago

https://github.com/esphome/esp-web-tools https://github.com/esphome/esp-web-tools

jstroem 5y ago
Thanks for sharing, didn't know this implementation. Seems like they use a fork of https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_WebSerial_ESPTool/ https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_WebSerial_ESPTool/ which was the first implementation of this as far as I know.

qalmakka 5y ago

Who thought that an API to connect to serial devices from browsers was a good idea? It seems kind of dangerous to me.

jstroem 5y ago
I would say the same thing for using a webcam in the browser or accessing the filesystem. But yet everyone use it today and a world without it is unimaginable. Wrapping functionality with the right security is key, but I browsers in general is already doing a good job in that regard IMO.
- qalmakka 5y ago
  Yes, but I really don't see the usecase for letting something potentially remote and untrusted to a serial device. How many people do actually need that? (Limited) filesystem access for web applications is also kind of dubious, outside of the trusty upload form.