Minimal Arduino - Lightweight Arduino IDE for VS Code
Minimal Arduino is a custom, lightning-fast VS Code extension that replaces the heavy official Arduino IDE. By wrapping the official arduino-cli, it provides a seamless, native VS Code experience without the clutter.
Features
Smart Project Memory: Remembers your exact Target Board, COM Port, and Baud Rate on a per-folder basis. Switch between an ESP32 project and an Uno project, and your settings update automatically.
Smart Uploads & Fallbacks: Forgot to select a port? If only one Arduino is plugged in, it auto-selects it and uploads. If multiple are plugged in, it instantly drops down a Quick Pick menu.
Interactive Library Manager: A dedicated sidebar to view installed libraries. Search the entire 13,000+ Arduino registry, pick specific release versions, and install them directly inside VS Code.
Aggressive Port Detection: Uses native Windows PowerShell commands to perfectly identify real connected COM ports, ignoring dead or disconnected Bluetooth ports.
Native Serial Monitor: Fully integrated with Microsoft's official Serial Monitor API for a polished, dedicated data-streaming UI.
One-Click Sketch Generation: Click the "New Sketch" button to automatically generate the strict Folder + .ino file structure Arduino requires, fully populated with setup() and loop() boilerplate.
UI Layout
Minimal Arduino cleans up the interface to keep you focused on your code.
Top Editor Menu (When a .ino is open):
New Sketch: Generates a new project folder/file.
Refresh: Re-scans your USB ports and local library folders.
Verify: Compiles your code.
Upload: Flashes your code to the board.
Serial Monitor: Opens the live data stream.
Activity Bar (The Minimal Arduino Sidebar):
Target Board: Search and select from hundreds of Arduino/ESP boards.
Connected Ports: View and select currently attached USB hardware.
Library Manager: View downloaded libraries, versions, and search for new ones.
Prerequisites & Requirements
Arduino CLI (Required): This extension requires the official arduino-cli. You must download it to your computer and point the extension to its location via VS Code Settings.
Windows OS: The aggressive COM port detection currently relies on native Windows PowerShell commands.
Microsoft Serial Monitor: The extension will automatically prompt you to install Microsoft's official ms-vscode.vscode-serial-monitor if you don't already have it installed.
Getting Started
Link the CLI: Open your VS Code Settings (Ctrl + ,), search for Minimal Arduino: Cli Path, and paste the absolute path to your arduino-cli.exe (e.g., C:\Program Files\arduino-cli\arduino-cli.exe). Do not include quotes.
Start a Project: Open any empty folder in VS Code.
Create a Sketch: Click the New Sketch button at the top right to generate your .ino file and boilerplate code.
Compile: Click Verify/Compile. If you haven't picked a board yet, the extension will smartly ask you to search for one.
