Lesson objectives
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce you to the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and help you set it up for this course. By the end of this lesson, you will be familiar with the main features of the Arduino IDE, understand how to configure board settings, and be ready to use it for future programming tasks.

What is Arduino IDE?
Arduino IDE is powerful, user-friendly software that lets you write, compile, and upload code to various microcontrollers, including the ESP32 and other boards such as the Arduino Uno. It has become the standard platform for anyone who wants to develop embedded systems or IoT projects.

Key features:

• Simple code editor with syntax highlighting.
• A wide selection of built-in libraries for hardware interaction.
• A serial monitor for real-time data from connected boards.
• Support for many different microcontroller platforms.

Arduino IDE is designed to be accessible to beginners while offering advanced features for more experienced programmers.

Step 1: Installing Arduino IDE
To start using Arduino IDE, follow these steps to download and install the software on your system.

1. Download Arduino IDE:
   Visit the official Arduino IDE download page and select the version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).

2. Install Arduino IDE:
   Follow the installation instructions for your operating system. The process is generally straightforward — simply run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

3. Open Arduino IDE:
   Once installed, open Arduino IDE. You will be greeted by a clean, minimalist interface with a text editor in the center, a toolbar at the top, and a status window at the bottom. This is where you write your code, also known as sketches.

Step 2: Exploring Arduino IDE
Before diving into programming, it is important to become familiar with the main features of Arduino IDE.

1. Code editor:
   The main area of the IDE is the code editor, where you write your sketches. It includes features such as syntax highlighting and autocompletion for common commands, making it easier to write error-free code.

2. Toolbar:
   The toolbar at the top provides quick access to important functions:

   • Verify (checkmark icon): Compiles your code to check for errors.
   • Upload (arrow icon): Sends the compiled code to your connected microcontroller.
   • New, Open, Save: Basic file functions for managing your sketches.
   • Serial Monitor (magnifying glass icon): Opens a window for viewing real-time data from the connected board.

3. Serial Monitor:
   The serial monitor is a useful tool for troubleshooting and testing. It lets you receive real-time data from your microcontroller (such as sensor readings or error messages) and send commands back to it.

4. Library management:
   Arduino has an extensive collection of libraries that make it easy to interact with sensors, displays, and other hardware. You can access the Library Manager via Tools > Manage Libraries.... We will explore this further in the next lesson.

Step 3: Configuring board settings
Arduino IDE is compatible with a wide range of microcontroller boards. To start programming, you must configure the IDE to work with the specific board you are using. Since we will be working with the TTGO T-Display (ESP32) in future lessons, here is how to configure a board in the IDE.

1. Automatic board detection (updated IDE feature):
   The latest versions of Arduino IDE automatically detect connected boards. Simply connect your board using a USB cable, and the IDE should recognize it automatically.

2. Manual board selection:
   If automatic detection does not work, you can manually select the board you are using. Go to Tools > Board > Board Manager to access the full list of supported boards.

3. Selecting the correct port:
   Make sure the IDE is set to communicate with the correct port. Go to Tools > Portand select the port corresponding to your connected microcontroller.

4. Note for macOS users:
   If you get errors such as "a fatal error occurred unable to verify flash chip connection", change the upload speed via **Tools > Upload Speed > 115200".

Step 4: Write your first sketch
Now that Arduino IDE is set up and configured, it is time to write your first sketch to test that everything works correctly.

1. Create a new sketch:
   Go to File > New to open a new sketch.

2. Write simple test code:

void setup() {
// Start the Serial communication
Serial.begin(115200);
// Print a message to the Serial Monitor
Serial.println("Hello, Arduino World!");
}
void loop() {
// Keep the program running, but do nothing
}

1. Verify and upload the code:
   Click the Verify button to compile the code and check for errors. Then click Upload to send the code to your microcontroller.

2. Open the serial monitor:
   After uploading, open the serial monitor via Tools > Serial Monitor. Set the baud rate to 115200and you will see the message "Hello, Arduino World!".

Step 5: Troubleshooting and common problems
If you encounter problems, here are some troubleshooting steps:

• Board not recognized: Make sure the USB cable is connected properly and supports data transfer.
• Code fails to upload: Check that the correct board and port are selected. Restart Arduino IDE and try again.

List of required components:

	AHT10 high-precision temperature and humidity sensor
	TTGO T-Display ESP32 16MB with WiFi, Bluetooth and 1.1" color LCD screen
	Dupont cables, 40 pcs

Summary
In this lesson, we introduced Arduino IDE, explored its key features, and went through the steps to set it up and configure it for coding with microcontrollers. We also wrote a simple sketch to ensure that our setup works correctly.

This basic knowledge of Arduino IDE will be essential as we progress through the course, writing more complex code and interacting with hardware components. In the next lesson, we focus on importing and managing libraries within Arduino IDE to extend its functionality.

About the measurements: The station in this series measures temperature and relative humidity using the AHT10. These are indoor climate readings, not direct measurements of CO2, VOCs, or particles. The series name “air quality monitoring” should be understood with this limitation.