Leonardo Russo’s ArduinoSimulator is an open-source Arduino Simulator written in JavaScript that runs code directly in your web browser and shows the serial output and digital/analog pins status for various Arduino boards namely Arduino UNO R3, MEGA1280, MEGA2560, and NANO V3.
We previously covered the Wokwi simulator for ESP32. Arduino, and Raspberry Pi RP2040 that’s a great little tool for educators to emulate circuits and run code right in a web browser, and it even supports the ESP32-P4 wireless MCU although it’s yet to be released. While the simulators are written in JavaScript and open-source, the tool itself is not, and for instance, you can’t run a self-hosted instance of Wokwi or use it offline. The ArduinoSimulator is fully open-source and runs entirely from a web browser.
It’s not quite as complex and full-featured as Wokwi, as you can’t build your own circuits, but you still have an area to write your code and save it locally, icons for digital pins (red = low, green = high) and analog pins (value from 0 to 255), and a serial monitor with a field that allows you to send commands as needed. To test a program simply click on the run button at the top.
Leonardo told CNX Software the project is a work in progress and can be useful for regions or countries where it may still be difficult to purchase components. You’ll just need a web browser without or without Internet access and you’re good to go. The Arduino simulator will also automatically detect the default language and switch to English, Spanish, Italian, French, or Portuguese. Other languages should be pretty easy to add with only a few strings to translate.
You can easily try the Arduino Simulator online and check out the source code on GitHub.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKojOHDvfC0
Also check out this list of Arduino Simulators: all3dp.com/2/best-arduino-simulators-online-offline/
They list Wokwi as being open-source though… So it’s not exactly reliable information,
Some parts of Wokwi are open-source (e.g. AVR/RP2040 emulator) but not the ESP32 emulator nor the web components.
Yes, I noted that in the article, but then it’s not quite accurate to say Wokwi is open-source.
Why simulate components you can’t buy?
Exactly because they can’t be easily bought. The students can still play with those to learn, and hopefully, in the future, they’ll be able to use the real thing.
Can we compile it to Node.js?