Belay.NETConnect C# Applications to Hardware Instantly

What Is Belay.NET? ​

Belay.NET is a .NET library that bridges the gap between your C# desktop applications and MicroPython hardware. Think of it as a communication layer that lets you treat microcontrollers like remote objects in your application.

Instead of learning embedded programming, writing firmware, or dealing with serial communication protocols, you simply:

• Install the NuGet package
• Connect your MicroPython device via USB
• Write C# methods that execute Python code on the device
• Get strongly-typed results back in your application

It's designed for C# developers who need to connect to hardware quickly without becoming embedded systems experts.

Key Features ​

• 🚀 Zero Configuration: Connect and control devices in seconds with automatic device detection and protocol negotiation.
• 🎯 Type-Safe Remote Execution: Full IntelliSense and compile-time safety for remote code with strongly-typed return values.
• ⚡ Async First: Modern async/await patterns throughout the API with proper cancellation token support.
• 🏷️ Attribute-Based Programming: Decorate methods to run seamlessly on devices with [Task], [Setup], [Teardown], and [Thread] attributes.
• 📦 Dependency Injection Ready: First-class DI support with Microsoft.Extensions including configuration, health checks, and factory patterns.
• 🔍 Built-in Monitoring: Health checks, performance metrics, and comprehensive error handling with structured logging.

The Problem We Solve ​

Connecting C# desktop applications to hardware is unnecessarily complex. Traditional approaches require:

❌ Learning embedded programming languages
❌ Writing and deploying firmware
❌ Managing serial communication protocols
❌ Handling device state and error conditions
❌ Converting between data formats manually

Belay.NET eliminates this complexity:

✅ No firmware needed - Works with standard MicroPython
✅ No serial protocols - Handled automatically
✅ No embedded knowledge - Write familiar C# code
✅ Type safety - Get compile-time checking and IntelliSense
✅ Error handling - Comprehensive exception management

How It Works ​

See It In Action ​

Transform complex hardware control into simple C# method calls:

// Install: dotnet add package Belay.NET

public class SmartSensor : Device
{
    [Setup]
    public async Task InitializeAsync() =>
        await ExecuteAsync("from machine import Pin, ADC; sensor = ADC(Pin(26))");
        
    [Task(Cache = true, TimeoutMs = 5000)]
    public async Task<float> ReadTemperatureAsync() =>
        await ExecuteAsync<float>("sensor.read_u16() * 3.3 / 65536 * 100");
        
    [Task]
    public async Task<bool> SetLedAsync(bool state) =>
        await ExecuteAsync<bool>($"led.{'on' if state else 'off'}(); True");
}

// Use like any other .NET class—no hardware knowledge required
var sensor = new SmartSensor();
await sensor.ConnectAsync("COM3");
await sensor.InitializeAsync();

var temperature = await sensor.ReadTemperatureAsync();
Console.WriteLine($"Current temperature: {temperature}°C");

Production-Ready Features ​

For Individual Developers ​

• Zero Configuration: Works out of the box with popular development boards
• Rich IDE Support: Full IntelliSense, debugging, and error checking
• Type Safety: Strongly-typed remote execution with compile-time validation
• Async/Await: Modern async patterns for responsive applications

For Enterprise Teams ​

• Dependency Injection: Full Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection integration
• Health Monitoring: Built-in health checks and performance metrics
• Configuration Management: Structured configuration with validation
• Error Handling: Comprehensive exception hierarchy with device error mapping
• Session Management: Advanced connection pooling and lifecycle management
• Structured Logging: Integration with Microsoft.Extensions.Logging

Use Cases We Enable ​

Supported Hardware ​

View supported hardware →

What's New in v0.2.0 ​

• ✨ Dependency Injection: First-class Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection support
• 🏥 Health Checks: Built-in system and device health monitoring
• ⚙️ Configuration: Comprehensive configuration management with validation
• 🏭 Factory Patterns: Clean abstractions for device and communicator creation
• 🔧 Session Management: Advanced session lifecycle and resource management
• ❌ Exception Handling: Unified exception hierarchy with device error mapping

Read the full changelog →