tamagotchi

Setup

One command for the toolchain, then clone, install the core, verify.

Four steps: run the installer, clone the repo, pull down the ESP32 core, then flash a tiny LED-blink test to confirm the toolchain works.

This page gets your toolchain ready. The Wiring page is where you build the pet itself and flash the real firmware.

Install the toolchain

The installer pulls everything you need: make, git, arduino-cli, and bun (plus Homebrew on macOS or Chocolatey on Windows if they're missing). It's idempotent — anything you already have is left alone.

curl -fsSL https://gochi.in/install.sh | bash

In a regular PowerShell window (no admin needed — a UAC prompt may pop up when make installs):

iex ([System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8.GetString((iwr -UseBasicParsing https://gochi.in/install.ps1).Content))

Needs Windows 10 1809+ or Windows 11 (for built-in winget). If winget is missing, install App Installer from the Microsoft Store.

Want to read the script first? It's the right thing to do. install.sh · install.ps1.

Clone the repo

Recommended: fork first. Head to github.com/devfolioco/gochi, click Fork, and clone your fork (replace YOUR-USERNAME):

git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/gochi.git
cd gochi

Forking means you can push your tweaks (custom faces, new sounds, IMU gestures) without needing write access to the main repo, and PRs are one click away.

Just want to try it? Clone upstream directly:

git clone https://github.com/devfolioco/gochi.git
cd gochi

Every command from here on runs from the repo root.

Install the ESP32 core

A ~300 MB download — grab a coffee. The repo ships its own arduino-cli.yaml, so this command is the same on every machine:

arduino-cli --config-file firmware/arduino-cli.yaml core update-index
arduino-cli --config-file firmware/arduino-cli.yaml core install esp32:esp32

Plug the ESP32-C3 in, verify flashing works

A small red power LED lights up. Use a USB-C data cable, not a power-only one.

make test-led

The port is auto-detected. If the upload hangs at "Connecting…", hold BOOT, tap RESET, release BOOT, and run it again. Once it completes, the blue LED on the ESP32-C3 starts blinking — flashing works.

Next

Your toolchain is verified. Now build the pet:

  • Wiring → — assemble the OLED, buzzer, and MPU-6050 on a breadboard, then flash the real firmware.
  • Firmware → — the full toolchain reference: daily workflow, serial monitor, WSL2, troubleshooting.
  • CLI → — every gochi command.
  • Serial protocol → — drive expressions and sounds over USB from your own scripts.
  • Skills → — let an AI coding agent control the pet.

Welcome

Build a tiny desk pet in one evening — ESP32-C3, OLED, twelve moods.

Wiring the hardware

One component at a time — wire it, verify it, then move on.

On this page

Install the toolchainClone the repoInstall the ESP32 corePlug the ESP32-C3 in, verify flashing worksNext