A Reddit user named clackups has developed the Draftling firmware, an open-source software that turns portable platforms based on ESP32-S3 and ESP32-P4 microcontrollers into full-fledged digital “typewriters.” The project recently received an update, and one of the features is support for the Ukrainian language “out of the box.”
A Reddit user named clackups has developed the Draftling firmware, an open-source software that turns portable platforms based on ESP32-S3 and ESP32-P4 microcontrollers into full-fledged digital “typewriters.” The project recently received an update, and one of the features is support for the Ukrainian language “out of the box.”
This is a project that aims to create a digital "printer" that can use a variety of off-the-shelf or DIY equipment. The devices work with Markdown files and support monochrome and color displays (E-Paper, RLCD, and LCD).
The device works with any Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless keyboards, and some boards also support a wired USB connection.
Split-screen mode (½ or 1/3) has been implemented for working with two documents or notes simultaneously, as well as a built-in Git client for auto-syncing files with GitHub over Wi-Fi.
Thanks to the efficient use of PSRAM on ESP32 microcontrollers, the system allows editing documents of several megabytes in size.
There is an automatic transition to deep sleep with saving the cursor position and the last document state.
In the latest update, the developer focused on improving performance with low-resolution displays, such as the Waveshare RLCD and Elecrow CrowPanel E-Paper:
improved text readability on small screens$
added the ability to rotate the screen 90 degrees (portrait mode) or flip it$
implemented mode inversion for RLCD and smoothed updates for E-Paper platforms.
The firmware supports a wide range of off-the-shelf devices and boards for DIY builds. Among them:
ready-made gadgets: Xteink X4 Pro and Classic, LilyGO T5 E-Paper S3 Pro, M5Stack PaperS3, Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD;
DIY: Waveshare series of boards, Elecrow CrowPanel 5.79", Guition, Sunton and Freenove (for many of them, 3D printed case layouts are available).
Firmware installation is carried out directly through the browser using the convenient Web Flasher without the need to compile the code yourself.
The author of the project noted that most of the code was generated using Claude's artificial intelligence under his personal control. According to the developer, since this is a non-commercial open-source project, the use of AI allowed him to bring the idea to life in his free time.
The source code and installation instructions are already available on GitHub .
