A magic trashcan - microprocessors for full stack developers- Philipp Meier

Discover the magic of microprocessors, exploring Arduino and ESPs, learn toprogram them, and unlock control of physical devices and systems, perfect for full-stack developers.

Key takeaways
  • Microprocessors can be useful for full-stack developers, allowing for control of physical devices and systems.
  • The focus of the talk is on Arduino and ESPs, which are microcontrollers that can be programmed using a variety of languages.
  • The Arduino platform has a lot of libraries and tutorials available, making it a good choice for beginners.
  • The ESP platform has built-in Wi-Fi and is more powerful than Arduino, but has less support and more complex programming.
  • The talk uses analogies to explain complex concepts, such as comparing the ESP to a magic trash can.
  • The speaker argues that microprocessors can be fun and exciting to work with, even for full-stack developers.
  • Some potential applications of microprocessors include controlling sensors, MP3 decoders, and SD cards.
  • The speaker suggests that the separation between software and hardware is not as clear-cut as it used to be.
  • The talk covers some practical considerations, such as how to program and interconnect microprocessors, and suggests that the speaker’s own projects are a good starting point for others.
  • The speaker also discusses the limitations of microprocessors, such as lack of garbage collection and manual memory management.
  • There are many options for microcontrollers, including ATMEGA and ESP, and different languages can be used to program them.
  • The speaker encourages the audience to “learn microprocessors” and to try building their own projects.