MicroPython
Hacker ApprovedRanked 3 of 9 Python interpreters by recommenders
People recommend it as an easier alternative to C for embedded work and quick experiments on boards like ESP32. The most common caveat is that it is harder to write complex code within small RAM.
People recommend it as an easier alternative to C for embedded work and quick experiments on boards like ESP32. The most common caveat is that it is harder to write complex code within small RAM.
35 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 25
- criticize it
- 10
- approval share
- 71%
Recommended in 10 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 25 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2.5 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 10 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Easier than C for embedded
“Micropython removes most of the rough edges of doing embedded C.”
Comment from 26 Feb 2026 in “Will vibe coding end like the maker movement?” “run Micropython on it if you're not into writing C”
Comment from 28 Oct 2026 in “Raspberry Pi Zero 3W and Pi 4 Model A spotted in device trees” “I generally think that Micropython is a better "modern" Arduino.”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Arduino published updated terms and conditions: no longer an open commons” - Comment from 1 Jan 2026 in “Python Numbers Every Programmer Should Know”
Good for experiments and prototypes
“running microPython are great for experimenting”
Comment from 28 Nov 2025 in “Can RGB light strips produce 16M colors?” “You could probably use something like micro python here and be done.”
Comment from 3 May 2026 in “Embedded Rust or C Firmware? Lessons from an Industrial Microcontroller Use Case” “So I'd just program this type of thing in MicroPython.”
Comment from 8 Dec 2025 in “Minimum Viable Arduino Project: Aeropress Timer” - Comment from 21 Jul 2026 in “Arduino Launches Plug-and-Play Modules for Long-Range Sensor Projects”
Runs on ESP32 and RP2 boards
“ESP32 or RP2 based boards with for example MicroPython/CircuitPython”
Comment from 20 Nov 2025 in “The Death of Arduino?” “I did a project with ESP32 and micropython recently”
Comment from 21 Jul 2026 in “Arduino Launches Plug-and-Play Modules for Long-Range Sensor Projects” “Maybe today I'd do micropython on ESP32. Download text file from device, edit, upload back on.”
Comment from 8 Aug 2026 in “Water system controllers don't belong on the internet, says ex-NSA chief”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Hides C and hardware concepts
“Micropython creates the illusion embedded developers do not need to understand C, their CPU, or other advanced concepts to do embedded programming.”
Comment from 2 Aug 2026 in “When random.bytes() runs but doesn't work” “it can introduce a barrier later in the learning process”
Comment from 15 Dec 2025 in “Adafruit: Arduino’s Rules Are ‘Incompatible With Open Source’” Limited RAM for complex code
“it’s also harder to write anything of any complexity that fits within the small RAM available”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Arduino published updated terms and conditions: no longer an open commons” “Im pretty sure micropython would suck for that”
Comment from 26 Feb 2026 in “Will vibe coding end like the maker movement?”
Other Python interpreters people recommend
The four most recommended other Python interpreters, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PyPy | 57 | 34 | 63% | 9 | — | — |
| Pyodide | 31 | 8 | 79% | 9 | — | Approved |
| MicroPythonThis page | 25 | 10 | 71% | 10 | — | Approved |
| Monty by Pydantic | 15 | 3 | 83% | 5 | — | Approved |
| CircuitPython | 12 | 0 | 100% | 6 | — | Approved |
What people said
36 of the 39 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“run Micropython on it if you're not into writing C”
“its close enough for doing a wide variety of embedded work without learning a new language/libraries/etc.”
“Maybe today I'd do micropython on ESP32. Download text file from device, edit, upload back on.”
“The my_random_bytes implementation doesn't look good at all at first glance.”
“Micropython creates the illusion embedded developers do not need to understand C, their CPU, or other advanced concepts to do embedded programming.”
“the code that had the fallback was micropython which was not authored by the coldcard creators”
“it did not solve my real problems or the problems of the people who use the project”
“I did a project with ESP32 and micropython recently”
“I blame micropython. Because it is reprogrammed by me myself.”
“The wheel is only a few hundred lines of code outside of the Python implementation”
“This looks like a good step for anyone wanting to run arbitrary Python outside of a browser environment.”
“For me it is a tool I avail to an LLM so that it can provide correct answers to a certain category of questions”
“I thought about whether to port MicroPython, PocketPy, or Starlark to pure Python”
“with micro python it pretty much made all RPi's obsolete”
“You could probably use something like micro python here and be done.”
“MicroPython is probably a great way”
“I will never not hate on Micropython.”
“With micropython or some of the js based frameworks for microcontrollers, it's really not that new/different”
“Im pretty sure micropython would suck for that”
“Micropython removes most of the rough edges of doing embedded C.”
“Worked just fine and did everything I wanted it to do”
“if it is correct, then it feels a little disappointing”
“Micro python is the last hope for Python.”
“Love me some MicroPython.”
“A device that boots right into µPython and that can make music & be programmed to make music could be one such successful path”
“That it's built off Micropython is a huge deal.”
“micro-python is just so much easier to deal with for our engineering staff”
“It's also not as easy to work with something like micro Python compared to targeting a specific embedded platform with Go.”
“it can introduce a barrier later in the learning process”
“a whole swag of new features and bugfixes”
“So I'd just program this type of thing in MicroPython.”
“running microPython are great for experimenting”
“On the up side, Python is pretty much the introductory language of choice, today.”
“I generally think that Micropython is a better "modern" Arduino.”
“it’s also harder to write anything of any complexity that fits within the small RAM available”
“ESP32 or RP2 based boards with for example MicroPython/CircuitPython”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.