ESP8266ESP32

ESP8266 and ESP32 are families of system-on-chip microcontrollers developed by Espressif Systems for Internet of Things devices. The ESP8266, released in 2014, popularized affordable Wi‑Fi‑enabled microcontrollers and spawned a large maker and embedded community. The ESP32, introduced in 2016 as a successor, adds Bluetooth and more processing power, making it suitable for more demanding applications while remaining compatible with many ESP8266-based projects.

Both chips run at 3.3V and include integrated 802.11 Wi‑Fi, with the ESP32 also offering Bluetooth (Classic and BLE). The ESP8266 uses a single-core Tensilica Xtensa LX106 CPU; the ESP32 features a dual-core Xtensa LX6 CPU up to about 240 MHz. RAM and flash memory are largely external to the processor; ESP8266 variants provide modest RAM and flash storage, while the ESP32 generally offers more SRAM and larger flash capacity. The ESP32 also includes additional peripherals such as DACs, more GPIOs, touch sensors, and hardware cryptography.

Development and ecosystems support both chips through Espressif’s ESP-IDF and the Arduino core, with additional options like MicroPython and Lua (NodeMCU). Typical applications include IoT sensors, control interfaces, home automation devices, and compact gateways. Security features are more expansive on the ESP32, including secure boot and flash encryption in many configurations, whereas ESP8266 deployments often rely on standard TLS and software-based security. Overall, the ESP8266 provides a cost‑effective Wi‑Fi MCU, while the ESP32 adds Bluetooth, more performance, and broader peripheral support for more complex projects.