NodeMCU is an open source development board and firmware based in the widely used ESP8266 -12E WiFi module. It allows you to program the ESP8266 WiFi module with the simple and powerful LUA programming language or Arduino IDE.

With just a few lines of code you can establish a WiFi connection and define input/output pins according to your needs exactly like arduino, turning your ESP8266 into a web server and a lot more. It is the WiFi equivalent of ethernet module. Now you have internet of things (iot) real tool.

With its USB-TTL , the nodeMCU Dev board supports directly flashing from USB port. It combines features of WIFI accesspoint and station + microcontroller. These features make the NodeMCU extremly powerful tool for Wifi networking. It can be used as access point and/or station, host a webserver or connect to internet to fetch or upload data.

Features

Finally, programable WiFi module.
Arduino-like (software defined) hardware IO.
Can be programmed with the simple and powerful Lua programming language or Arduino IDE.
USB-TTL included, plug & play.
10 GPIOs D0-D10, PWM functionality, IIC and SPI communication, 1-Wire and ADC A0 etc. all in one board.
Wifi networking (can be used as access point and/or station, host a web server), connect to internet to fetch or upload data.
Event-driven API for network applications.
PCB antenna.

The NodeMCU official website.

Lua programming language website.

Step by step tutorial on using the NodeMCU development board.

Tutorial on how to program the ESP8266 ESP-12E using arduino.

WIFI

WiFi ESP8266 Serial TTL Module

NodeMCU (ESP8266 WiFi Programming & Development Kit) CH340