This is a Beta Release

This is release 5.0.0 beta.0. Beta releases are largely feature-complete, but are meant for testing. Use the latest stable 4.x release when first starting with CircuitPython.

When you find a bug please check the current known issues and file an issue if something isn’t already known.

5.0.0

5.0.0 is the latest major revision of CircuitPython. It features many improvements and enhancements to displayio, including grayscale OLED and e-paper displays, extensive additions and changes to BLE support, support for the STM32F4 and Sony Spresense microcontrollers, and PWM audio support.

Download from circuitpython.org

Downloads are available from circuitpython.org! The site makes it easy to select the correct file and language for your board. The downloads page is here.

Installation

To install follow the instructions in our new Welcome to CircuitPython! guide. To install the latest libraries, see this page in that guide.

Try the latest version of the Mu editor for creating and editing your CircuitPython programs and for easy access to the CircuitPython serial connection (the REPL).

New Features, Updates, and Fixes since 5.0.0 Alpha 5

• The _bleio module API has been reworked. There is now a Connection class which manages BLE service discovery. Advertising and initial connection setup have been moved to Adapter. Central, Peripheral, and Scanner have been removed. Thanks @tannewt, and thanks @dhalbert for reviews and bugfixes.
• STM32F4 port: All thanks to @hierophect.
  • urandom now uses the on-chip random number generator.
  • Support neopixel_write.
  • Raise STM32F405 clock speed.
  • Add microsecond delay routines.
  • Shut off DAC when not in use.
  • Add default board.I2C(), board.SPI(), and board.UART() devices.
  • Support displayio.
• Refactor pin-reset and pin-never-reset routines to common-hal. Thanks @hierophect.
• GitHub Actions: do not try to upload to Amazon S3 if running in a fork. Thanks @jepler.
• Prevent build issues due to xargs overflow. Thanks @jepler.
• Allow boards to change USB interface description text, replacing the default “CircuitPython”. Thanks @theacodes.
• Fix displayio.I2CDisplay reset issue. Thanks @makermelissa.
• Allow board builds to to enable @micropython.native decorator. Thanks @theacodes.

New Boards

Find downloads for all boards, including these, at https://circuitpython.org/downloads.

New since 5.0.0-alpha.5

• Winterbloom Sol. Thanks @theacodes.

New since 4.1.0

• Adafruit Circuit Playground Bluefruit. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Adafruit Circuit Playground Express with displayio: displayio turned on for CPX. Thanks @tannewt.
• Adafruit Feather STM32F405 Express. Thanks @hierophect.
• Adafruit HalloWing M4 Express. Pin additions. Thanks @makermelissa.
• Adafruit ItsyBitsy nRF52840 Express. Thanks @dhalbert and @ladyada.
• Adafruit Monster M4SK. Fix pin errors. Thanks @kattni.
• Adafruit PyPortal Titano. Thanks @brentru
• Arduino Nano 33 BLE. Thanks @dhalbert and @ladyada.
• PewPew M4. Thanks @deshipu.
• PyBoard V11. Thanks @hierophect.
• Robo HAT MM1 M4. Thanks @wallarug.
• STM32F411E Discovery. Thanks @hierophect.
• STM32F412G Discovery. Thanks @hierophect.
• Serpente. Thanks @arturo182.
• Snekboard. Thanks @keith-packard.
• Sony Spresense. Thanks Sony @kamtom480.
• Sparkfun QWIIC Micro with and without flash. Thanks @edspark.
• StringCar M0 Express. Thanks @CGrover.

Breaking Changes and Deprecations from 4.x

• The bleio module has been renamed to _bleio to indicate that it is meant to be used only for writing BLE libraries, and that its API may change between CircuitPython minor versions. There are many incompatible changes in _bleio since 4.0.0. Please use the latest adafruit_ble library for end-user BLE programming.
• The displayio refresh API has been revamped to be simpler. wait_for_frame and refresh_soon have been removed. In both 4.x and 5.x, auto refresh will automatically refresh the display so they can be removed. The new auto_refresh property and refresh() function can be used to control when the screen refreshes and at a specific rate.
• Moved audioio.Mixer to audiomixer.Mixer, which is only available on M4s. Moved audioio.RawSample, and audioio.WaveFile to the new module audiocore. However, for backwards compatibility, they are still available in audioio. They will be removed from audioio in 6.0.0. Thanks @jepler.
• Added I2C.writeto_then_readfrom(). Deprecate stop= arg which will be removed in 6.x. Use I2C.writeto_then_readfrom() instead.

Known Issues

• See https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues.

Thanks

Thank you to all who used, tested, contributed, helped out, and participated on GitHub and/or Discord,including @CedarGroveStudios, @dhalbert, @hierophect, @jepler, @jerryn, @ladyada, @makermelissa, @tannewt, @theacodes and surely more we have missed. Join us on the Discord chat to collaborate.

Documentation

Documentation is available in readthedocs.io.

Here are all the changes since 5.0.0-alpha.5.

This release is based on MicroPython 1.9.4 @25ae98f. Support upstream MicroPython by purchasing a PyBoard (from Adafruit here).

Troubleshooting

Check out this guide for info on common problems with CircuitPython. If you are still having issues, then post to the Adafruit Support Forums and join Discord.