Installing
==========

Boards Manager
--------------

This is the suggested installation method for end users.

Prerequisites
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-  Arduino 1.6.8, get it from `Arduino
   website <https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/OldSoftwareReleases#previous>`__.
-  Internet connection

Instructions
~~~~~~~~~~~~

-  Start Arduino and open Preferences window.
-  Enter
   ``http://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json``
   into *Additional Board Manager URLs* field. You can add multiple
   URLs, separating them with commas.
-  Open Boards Manager from Tools > Board menu and find *esp8266*
   platform.
-  Select the version you need from a drop-down box.
-  Click *install* button.
-  Don't forget to select your ESP8266 board from Tools > Board menu
   after installation.

You may optionally use *staging* boards manager package link:
``http://arduino.esp8266.com/staging/package_esp8266com_index.json``.
This may contain some new features, but at the same time, some things
might be broken.

Using git version
-----------------

This is the suggested installation method for contributors and library
developers.

Prerequisites
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-  Arduino 1.6.8 (or newer, if you know what you are doing)
-  git
-  python 2.7
-  terminal, console, or command prompt (depending on you OS)
-  Internet connection

Instructions
~~~~~~~~~~~~

-  Open the console and go to Arduino directory. This can be either your
   *sketchbook* directory (usually ``<Documents>/Arduino``), or the
   directory of Arduino application itself, the choice is up to you.
-  Clone this repository into hardware/esp8266com/esp8266 directory.
   Alternatively, clone it elsewhere and create a symlink, if your OS
   supports them.

   .. code:: bash

       cd hardware
       mkdir esp8266com
       cd esp8266com
       git clone https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino.git esp8266

   You should end up with the following directory structure:

   .. code:: bash

       Arduino
       |
       --- hardware
           |
           --- esp8266com
               |
               --- esp8266
                   |
                   --- bootloaders
                   --- cores
                   --- doc
                   --- libraries
                   --- package
                   --- tests
                   --- tools
                   --- variants
                   --- platform.txt
                   --- programmers.txt
                   --- README.md
                   --- boards.txt
                   --- LICENSE

-  Download binary tools

   .. code:: bash

       cd esp8266/tools
       python get.py

-  Restart Arduino