blog: Article for promote BSP Generator

content/blog/2026/06/bsp-generator-promo/index.md

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+---
+title: From Espressif Dev Kit to Your Custom Board - in an Afternoon
+date: 2026-06-11
+summary: Start from an esp-bsp dev kit, customize pins and features in a web form, and download a production-style BSP component for your custom PCB - same APIs, less manual work.
+featureAsset: "img/featured.webp"
+tags:
+  - ESP-BSP
+authors:
+  - "vilem-zavodny"
+---
+
+The [ESP-BSP Generator](https://bsp-generator.espressif.tools) bridges that gap: start from a proven [esp-bsp](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp) board, select pins and features in a visual form, and download a production-style BSP component for *your* hardware while keeping the same APIs your code already uses.
+
+## The problem every custom board hits
+
+You or your software team creates a prototype on **ESP32-S3-BOX-3**, **ESP32-C3-LCDKit**, **M5Stack Tab5**, or another board from [esp-bsp](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp). Display, touch, audio, SD card work perfectly because Espressif maintains the BSP.
+
+Then the hardware team designs a custom board with a different touch controller, pin mapping, and without a speaker. Now you have to partially start from scratch.
+
+**There is a better workflow.**
+
+## Start with what already works
+
+{{< figure
+    src="img/02-load-configuration-modal.webp"
+    alt="Load configuration — pick a starter board (ESP-BOX-3, ESP32-C3-LCDKit, …)"
+    caption="Load configuration — pick a starter board (ESP-BOX-3, ESP32-C3-LCDKit, …)"
+    >}}
+
+1. Open the **[ESP-BSP Generator](https://bsp-generator.espressif.tools)**.
+2. Click **Load configuration** and pick a starter board that matches your prototype (e.g. ESP-BOX-3, ESP32-S3-EYE, ESP32-C3-LCDKit).
+3. The form fills in MCU, features, drivers, and pin assignments - the same structure as the official BSP in [esp-bsp/bsp/](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp/tree/master/bsp).
+
+## Configure features for *your* PCB
+
+{{< figure
+    src="img/03-starter-board-loaded.webp"
+    alt="Starter board loaded — ESP-BOX-3 configuration ready to customize"
+    caption="Starter board loaded — ESP-BOX-3 configuration ready to customize"
+    >}}
+
+Each capability is a **feature tab**: Display, Touch, Buttons, Audio, SD card, Camera, sensors, USB, battery, and more. Enable what your schematic actually has; disable what you removed.
+
+Typical custom-board edits:
+
+| On the dev kit | On your custom board |
+|----------------|----------------------|
+| 3 navigation buttons | 2 buttons, different GPIOs |
+| FT5x06 touch on I2C | Same controller, different I2C pins |
+| RGB LCD + backlight PWM | SPI display, fixed backlight |
+| On-board microphone | No audio - tab stays off |
+
+The generator checks dependencies (touch over I2C needs I2C enabled, and so on) before it builds anything.
+
+{{< figure
+    src="img/04-display-feature-tab.webp"
+    alt="Display feature tab — resolution, driver, pins, and LVGL options"
+    caption="Display feature tab — resolution, driver, pins, and LVGL options"
+    >}}
+
+Hover the **?** icons for hints. Upload a board photo for the generated README. Save the JSON - that file is your **single source of truth** for the board definition.
+
+## Generate once, integrate like any esp-bsp component
+
+Click **Generate BSP**. You get a ZIP with:
+
+- A full **ESP-IDF component** (`CMakeLists.txt`, `Kconfig`, headers, sources)
+- **`sdkconfig.defaults`** generated to your choices
+- **`README.md`** with capabilities and dependency table
+- **`API.md`** API reference (Doxygen-style, same idea as official BSPs)
+- Optional **noglib** variant (BSP without LVGL)
+- Optional **SquareLine Studio** OBP pack for UI designers
+
+Your application keeps calling the same BSP entry points:
+
+```c
+#include "bsp/esp-bsp.h"
+
+void app_main(void)
+{
+    bsp_display_start();
+    bsp_display_backlight_on();
+    // ... your UI / logic unchanged in spirit
+}
+```
+
+Wire the new component in `main/idf_component.yml`:
+
+```yaml
+dependencies:
+  my_custom_board:
+    path: ../components/my_custom_board
+```
+
+Copy `sdkconfig.defaults` to the project root, set the target, build. **The application structure stays familiar** - only the board layer changed.
+
+---
+
+## Swap the component, keep the software
+
+This is the payoff for product teams:
+
+```
+Prototype firmware  →  uses esp-box-3 BSP from esp-bsp
+Production firmware →  uses my_custom_board BSP from the generator
+Application code    →  largely the same #include and BSP APIs
+```
+
+You are not maintaining a fork of esp-bsp forever. You maintain a **small, generated board package** that follows the same conventions as [espressif/esp-bsp](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp): component layout, `bsp_*` helpers, LVGL integration via [esp_lvgl_port](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp/tree/master/components/esp_lvgl_port), examples you can compare under [esp-bsp/examples/](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp/tree/master/examples).
+
+## ESP-IDF upgraded? Regenerate, don’t rewrite
+
+Saved configuration JSON is more than a backup. When:
+
+- **ESP-IDF** moves to a new major version,
+- **esp-bsp** templates or drivers change,
+- you add a feature you skipped in v1 (e.g. SD card on the next PCB spin),
+
+…load the JSON in the generator, adjust what changed, and **Generate BSP** again.
+
+You refresh pins, Kconfig, and generated sources from the template — instead of merging hundreds of manual edits across C files.
+
+{{< figure
+    src="img/05-generation-success.webp"
+    alt="Generation success — next steps, file list, and Download ZIP"
+    caption="Generation success — next steps, file list, and Download ZIP"
+    >}}
+
+The success page walks through integration steps; the in-app **Help** modal covers load/save, features, and SquareLine OBP install paths.
+
+## Why esp-bsp + the generator together
+
+| | [esp-bsp](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp) | [BSP Generator](https://bsp-generator.espressif.tools) |
+|---|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
+| **Best for** | Official Espressif & partner boards | Your custom PCB |
+| **Maintained by** | Espressif BSP team | Generated from shared templates |
+| **API style** | `bsp_*`, LVGL port, examples | Same patterns |
+| **Registry** | Components on [components.espressif.com](https://components.espressif.com) | Your `idf_component.yml` + path or publish later |
+
+Use **esp-bsp** as reference and dependency where it fits. Use the **generator** when the schematic is yours.
+
+## SquareLine Studio? Covered.
+
+If your flow includes UI design, enable **Generate SquareLine Studio pack** (Display required). The ZIP includes an [Open Board Platform](https://docs.squareline.io/docs/obp/) bundle (`.slb`, `.zip`, `.png`) ready to copy into `~/SquareLine/boards/` - designers stay in SquareLine; firmware stays on the same BSP pins and resolution you defined in the form.
+
+## Try it in five minutes
+
+1. Go to **[bsp-generator.espressif.tools](https://bsp-generator.espressif.tools)**
+2. **Load** `ESP-BOX-3` or any starter board close to your hardware
+3. Change one GPIO, rename the BSP, click **Generate**
+4. Drop the component into a blank ESP-IDF project and `idf.py build`
+
+Explore official boards and docs in **[github.com/espressif/esp-bsp](https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp)** - then make the generator your shortcut from dev kit to custom product.