MicroPython Internals

This chapter covers a tour of MicroPython from the perspective of a developer, contributing to MicroPython. It acts as a comprehensive resource on the implementation details of MicroPython for both novice and expert contributors.

Development around MicroPython usually involves modifying the core runtime, porting or maintaining a new library. This guide describes at great depth, the implementation details of MicroPython including a getting started guide, compiler internals, porting MicroPython to a new platform and implementing a new MicroPython library.

Note

For a quick developer checklist on the basics of setting up and making a contribution, see the Developer Reference.

• Getting Started
  • Source control with Git
  • Get the code
  • Compile and Build the Code
    • Build the cross-compiler
    • Build for the Unix Port
    • Build for the stm32 port
    • Build for the Windows port
  • Build the Docs
  • Run the tests
  • Folder structure
• The MicroPython Core Runtime
  • The compiler
    • Changing the grammar
    • Changing the lexer
    • Parsing
    • Compiler passes
    • Emitting bytecode
    • Emitting native code
  • Optimizations
    • String interning
    • Open addressing
    • Linear probing
  • Memory Management
    • The object model
    • Allocation of objects
  • Writing Tests
  • Adding a Core module
  • The Public C-API
• Extending MicroPython in C
  • MicroPython external C modules
    • Structure of an external C module
    • Basic example
    • Compiling the cmodule into MicroPython
    • Module usage in MicroPython
  • Native machine code in .mpy files
    • Supported features and limitations
    • Defining a native module
    • Minimal example
    • Compiling the module
    • Module usage in MicroPython
    • Further examples