Introduction
The ESP32 has become the workhorse of hobbyist and professional IoT projects, yet creating polished graphical interfaces on its modest resources remains a challenge. A new, UI‑focused display library promises to change that by delivering a lightweight, Arduino‑compatible framework that abstracts away low‑level driver quirks while preserving performance. In this article we explore why such a library matters, the design philosophy behind its creation, the features that set it apart from existing solutions, and how developers can integrate it into existing projects. Finally, we look at community response and the roadmap that could shape the next generation of ESP32 UI development.
Why a UI library matters for ESP32
Even though the ESP32 packs dual‑core processing, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and ample RAM for many tasks, rendering smooth graphics still taxes the chip. Traditional approaches require developers to hand‑code pixel manipulation or stitch together fragmented drivers, leading to duplicated effort and inconsistent user experiences. A dedicated UI library centralises widget handling, event propagation, and screen buffering, allowing engineers to focus on application logic rather than low‑level display code. Moreover, a unified API encourages code reuse across projects, shortens time‑to‑market, and opens the door for more sophisticated interfaces such as touch‑enabled dashboards and animated menus.
Design goals of the new library
The library was built with three core objectives:
- Minimal footprint: Targeting under 150 KB of flash and 50 KB of RAM to run comfortably alongside typical networking stacks.
- Arduino friendliness: Providing a drop‑in setup()/loop() workflow that mirrors the familiar Arduino ecosystem.
- Extensibility: Allowing developers to plug in custom drivers, fonts, and themes without rewriting core components.
These goals guided decisions such as using a single‑buffered rendering pipeline, optional hardware acceleration for SPI displays, and a modular widget hierarchy that can be trimmed at compile time.
Feature set and performance
Out of the box, the library supports common display controllers (ILI9341, ST7789, SSD1306) and offers a collection of ready‑made widgets including buttons, sliders, charts, and text fields. It also integrates a simple animation engine that leverages the ESP32’s hardware timers for smooth transitions.
Performance benchmarks conducted on a 240 × 320 pixel ILI9341 screen show:
| Metric | New library | LVGL (v8) | TFT_eSPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash usage | 132 KB | 210 KB | 95 KB |
| RAM usage | 48 KB | 68 KB | 30 KB |
| Frames per second (static UI) | 58 fps | 62 fps | 45 fps |
| Frames per second (animated UI) | 45 fps | 50 fps | 30 fps |
While LVGL still leads in raw capability, the new library delivers a compelling balance of speed, memory efficiency, and ease of use—particularly for projects that do not require the full breadth of LVGL’s feature set.
Integration and community adoption
Installation is as simple as adding the library via the Arduino Library Manager or cloning the repository from GitHub. Documentation includes step‑by‑step tutorials, a live‑preview web tool for designing screens, and a collection of example sketches that demonstrate everything from basic text rendering to multi‑screen navigation.
Since its announcement on Hackaday, the project has attracted over 2,300 stars on GitHub, a growing Discord channel for support, and several third‑party contributions that add support for e‑ink displays and custom font rendering. Early adopters report reduced development cycles by up to 30 % and praise the clear API that mirrors familiar Arduino patterns.
Future outlook
The roadmap outlines several enhancements: native touch‑screen support, a theme engine for dark/light mode switching, and optional integration with the ESP‑Matter protocol for seamless smart‑home connectivity. As the ESP32 ecosystem continues to mature, a robust UI layer will be essential for bringing richer, user‑friendly experiences to wearables, industrial panels, and consumer gadgets alike.
Conclusion
By delivering a lightweight, Arduino‑compatible UI framework, the new display library fills a critical gap in ESP32 development. Its focus on minimal resource consumption, modularity, and ease of integration empowers makers and engineers to craft sophisticated interfaces without the overhead of larger graphics stacks. Community enthusiasm, solid performance metrics, and an ambitious roadmap suggest that this library will become a staple in the ESP32 toolkit, driving the next wave of interactive IoT devices.
Image by: Kevin Ku
https://www.pexels.com/@kevin-ku-92347
