pRustIO

pRustIO is a Command-Line Interface (CLI) tool that makes it easier to develop embedded projects using Rust. It connects the Rust cargo build system with the C/C++ embedded world by automatically linking the Arduino framework to your application. This tool is being developed as part of a diploma thesis at the Faculty of Information Technology, Brno University of Technology.

Core Concepts

pRustIO has two different build modes, depending on what your project needs:

• Pure Mode (Default): This mode works completely inside the Rust system using the arduino-hal crate. It does not use any extra C or C++ code, which gives you memory-safe applications.
• Hybrid Mode (--hybrid): This mode sets up your project to use the standard Arduino C++ framework. pRustIO creates a hidden PlatformIO workspace, compiles the C/C++ libraries, and allows you to use Arduino functions (like pinMode and digitalWrite) in your Rust code using the prustio-arduino crate.

pRustIO supports many popular Arduino and AVR boards, including the Uno, Nano, Mega 2560, Leonardo, and Micro.

Prerequisites and Installation

Before you install pRustIO, your computer must meet these basic requirements:

• Rust and Cargo: You must have the Rust programming language and Cargo installed.
• Python 3: pRustIO uses Python 3 to automatically download and run a local version of PlatformIO. Make sure Python 3 is available in your system path.

Installation from crates.io:

cargo install prustio

Installation from the repository:

git clone https://github.com/MikiiN/prustio
cd prustio
cargo install --path .

You can also use pRustIO as a Visual Studio Code extension by searching for it in the VS Code extensions marketplace.

[!NOTE] Note on Automatic Setup: You do not need to manually install PlatformIO, AVRDUDE, or the avr-gcc compiler. The first time you run a pRustIO command, the tool will automatically create a private Python virtual environment in your home directory (~/.prustio/) and download everything it needs.

Project Management & Commands

Here is a list of commands you can use to manage your embedded projects:

Project Management

Create project

prustio project init [PROJECT_NAME] [OPTIONS]

This creates all the necessary setup files and a basic starting code file. You can use -b <BOARD> to specify the target board (like uno or nano) and --hybrid to create a hybrid project.

Clean project

prustio clean

This deletes the created build files to save disk space or start a fresh build.

Building and Uploading

Run a target

prustio run [OPTIONS]

This command checks your setup, compiles the code, and uploads it to the board. Use -t build to only compile the code, or -t upload to compile and upload it to the board. To specify compilation environment, use -e <NAME>.

Device & Serial Monitor

Find Connected Devices

prustio device list

Check which microcontrollers and serial devices are connected to your computer.

Serial Monitor

prustio device monitor [OPTIONS]

Open the built-in serial monitor to communicate with your device. You can specify the port (-p <PORT>), communication speed (-b <BAUD>), and much more.

Environment Management

List Boards

prustio boards [FILTER]

See all the microcontrollers that pRustIO supports. Optionally results can be filtered.

Active Environment

prustio activate <ENVIRONMENT_NAME>

Change the active board, which updates the settings for the new hardware.

Update Configuration

prustio refresh

If you change your Prustio.toml file manually, this forces pRustIO to update the project settings to match.

Example: Blinking an LED

This basic starting code takes control of the device hardware and turns the built-in LED (usually pin 13) on and off in Pure Rust mode:

#![no_std]
#![no_main]

use panic_halt as _;

#[arduino_hal::entry]
fn main() -> ! {
    // Get the device hardware
    let dp = arduino_hal::Peripherals::take().unwrap();
    let pins = arduino_hal::pins!(dp);

    // Set pin D13 as a digital output
    let mut led = pins.d13.into_output();

    loop {
        led.toggle();
        arduino_hal::delay_ms(1000);
    }
}

More examples can be seen in the pRustIO documentation.