PIC12F

PIC12F is a family of 8-bit microcontrollers produced by Microchip Technology. The devices are designed for low-cost, compact applications and are commonly packaged in 8-pin packages such as DIP-8, SOIC-8, and QFN.

The PIC12F family uses a small, efficient 8-bit core with a Harvard architecture. Program memory is stored on-chip (in most devices as flash, with some variants using OTP), and data memory is in on-chip RAM, often accompanied by a small amount of EEPROM for persistent data. In addition to the CPU, most models provide a limited number of I/O pins (typically around four to six), a selection of timing and control peripherals, and low-power operation modes. Peripherals may include timers, a watchdog timer, an on-chip oscillator with multiple clock options, and sometimes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or simple serial peripherals such as the synchronous serial interface (USI), SPI, or I2C on selected devices.

Programming and development are supported by standard Microchip tools. PIC12F devices are typically programmed in-circuit via the ICSP interface using PGD and PGC lines, with MCLR used as a reset input on many variants. They are widely used in simple control and sensing tasks, consumer electronics, toys, and learning projects due to their small footprint, low cost, and straightforward programming model.

Notable members of the family include widely used models such as the PIC12F508/509 and PIC12F629/675, which illustrate the range of memory sizes and peripherals available within the PIC12F line.