BBC micro:bit Manager

Talk to a BBC micro:bit from VS Code. Connect to a board, flash a .hex file to it, and open a serial terminal to see what it is printing.

Works in the browser and on the desktop, with no server and no setup.

What it does

• Flash a hex file. Right-click any .hex in the Explorer and send it to a connected micro:bit. Useful on its own: somebody hands you a hex, you put it on a board.
• Serial terminal. Read what your program prints and type back to it.

Programming a micro:bit

This extension puts a program on a micro:bit board, but it does not create one. For that, install extensions like BBC micro:bit MicroPython, for Python programs, and/or BBC micro:bit C++, for C++ programmes.

The commands for these three extensions all appear in the micro:bit menu triggered by clicking the micro:bit status bar item.

Each extension has its own side panel.

• Combine micro:bit sidebars, in this extension's panel, puts them all in one
• Separate micro:bit sidebars splits them again
• Hide this side panel removes this extension's icon

To bring it back find the option in the micro:bit menu in the status bar.

Requirements

In a browser, putting a hex on a board needs WebUSB, so Chrome or Edge. The serial terminal also works in Firefox, over Web Serial.

On the desktop the board is programmed via the MICROBIT USB drive it mounts.

Licence

MIT.