Can I write C for an ESP8266?

This page summarizes the projects mentioned and recommended in the original post on /r/esp8266

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  • esp-open-sdk

    Free and open (as much as possible) integrated SDK for ESP8266/ESP8285 chips

  • Arduino

    ESP8266 core for Arduino

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  • Arduino

    Arduino IDE 1.x (by arduino)

    Getting started I'd recommend the Arduino IDE. They'll have plenty of C examples with the IDE that will be familiar to you. Eventually you might decide that "hey this IDE kinda sucks" and want to move on to PlatformIO but for getting started the Arduino IDE will be simplest.

  • TFT_eSPI

    Arduino and PlatformIO IDE compatible TFT library optimised for the Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040), STM32, ESP8266 and ESP32 that supports different driver chips

    The extra pins that you have on the NodeMCU are mostly useless except in rare instances. The NodeMCU DevKit breaks out the SPI Flash port, and generally if you attempt to do anything with those GPIOs you crash the program. The only way you can use that Flash port is to connect an SPI LCD to it and run the port in 'overlap' mode, which is slower than when you have sole control of the SPI. Bodmer's TFT_eSPI is the only library I know of that supports 'overlap' mode. Also, the Flash chip needs to support DIO to use 'overlap' mode if I remember correctly. Most (but not all) Flash chips support that mode, and there's no way to know what's on your board until you scan the Flash ID string.

NOTE: The number of mentions on this list indicates mentions on common posts plus user suggested alternatives. Hence, a higher number means a more popular project.

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