Roadmap

Where RPCortex is headed. Updated as versions ship and plans solidify.

v0.8.1 — Nebula Shipped

The final stable release of the β8 "Nebula" line. Closed out the beta backlog: unlimited WiFi profiles, manual recovery mode, --help flags, pkg commands, tilde expansion everywhere, password masking, a functional Program_Execution toggle, echo file redirection, and POST .mpy fallback.

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v0.9.1 — Pulsar In Development · Current

The definitive β9 "Pulsar" release — succeeds v0.8.1 directly. Turns RPCortex from an interactive shell into something you can script, automate, and leave running headlessly. Every previous v0.9.0 goal is included and the scope was expanded to cover shell-power, packages, and the /Pulsar/ storage layout in one shot.

  • Persistent aliases — survive reboots via aliases.cfg
  • Pipescat file | grep ERROR | wc, real output-capture / exit-code convention
  • && / || chainingwifi connect && pkg update
  • Scripting (.rps)set/$vars, if/else, while; run by filename
  • Streamed cp / mv — 1 KB chunks; mv uses instant same-FS rename for zero copy
  • Configurable prompt hostname, date set RTC, du, watch
  • /Pulsar/ storage — registry, logs, and pkg cache moved from /Nebula/; auto-migrated on update
  • Startup tasksstartup add <cmd> runs commands automatically at login
  • Scheduled taskstask add <secs> <cmd> + foreground task run scheduler
  • Unattended modestartup add task run boots straight into a headless scheduler
  • Over-the-air updatesupdate check / update online over WiFi
  • PicoFetch & RPCMark (benchmark, formerly NebulaMark/PulseMark) — real updatable packages
  • NTP built-inntp sync sets the clock; startup add ntp sync -s for silent boot sync
  • New packagescalc, gpio, i2cscan
  • Compiled .mpy packagesmake_pkg.py --compile; loader auto-falls-back to .mpy
  • pkg install multiple names; PicoFetch / NTP user-removable
  • Download progress bars[####----] 47% on wget
  • Extended curl flags-X, -d, -H, -o, -s, -I, --timeout
  • wifi autoconnect — connect to the strongest saved network, no prompts
  • Silent flagsntp sync -s, wifi connect -s (errors only)
  • Owner & timezoneSystem.Owner, System.TZ_Offset
  • Recovery toolsfscheck, diag, logdump, regreset, pkgdisable
  • Faster deploy — single chained mpremote session (~30× faster than per-file)
In developer testing on RP2040 / RP2350 / ESP32-S3 ahead of tagging.
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v0.9.5 — Pulsar Planned

A dedicated multitasking exploration release. The goal is to get uasyncio working alongside the shell safely so that v1.0 can build on a proven foundation — not to ship production features yet. Expect breaking changes; this is an intentional stepping stone.

  • First uasyncio integration — run background tasks while the shell stays interactive
  • Concurrency safety audit — identify which modules need locking / re-entry guards
  • Background task run — scheduled tasks run async, no foreground blocker
  • TCP shell listener (experimental) — first attempt at SSH-style access over WiFi
v1.0 Future

The 1.0 milestone. Multitasking is stable (proven in v0.9.5), the TUI framework lands, and RPCortex becomes a credible platform for long-running embedded applications.

  • Stable uasyncio multitasking — production-grade, not experimental
  • Multiple terminals & tabbing — PowerShell-style session management
  • SSH-style shell over TCP — a lightweight listener; needs stable uasyncio
  • TUI framework — reusable adaptive box-draw components for terminal apps
  • System apps on the TUI framework — rebuild settings, edit, and friends
  • SD card support — init package, surfaced as a startup task
  • Dev packagesgit, httpd, mqtt, and more
  • Frozen modules / custom .uf2 firmware build (feasibility)
  • Windows MicroPython port stubs for off-device debugging
  • Mouse support in the TUI (terminal-dependent)
  • Viper / native optimisation — deferred until platform strategy settled
Package ideas Anytime

Packages install and update independently of the OS, so these don’t gate any release — they can land whenever someone builds them.

ntp · dht · i2cscan · gpio · calc · backup · speedtest · sysmon · ask — plus the built-in picofetch and rpcmark. Browse and one-click install them on the Packages page.

  • httpd — serve a live status page (CPU / RAM / uptime / temp) over WiFi.
  • mqtt — publish / subscribe so RPCortex can talk to Home Assistant, Node-RED, and friends.
  • git — clone / fetch repositories (read-mostly); the heaviest of the set.
Got an idea for a package? Open an issue or drop it in Discord — see the Package Dev guide to build your own.