Add the Internet to your next project with a tiny WiFi microcontroller! The ESP8266 processor from Espressif is an 80 MHz microcontroller with a full WiFi front-end (both as client and access point) and TCP/IP stack with DNS support as well. This chip has been very popular, but it has also been very difficult to work with. This breakout board makes it much easier – it has built in logic level shifting, a 500mA 3.3V regulator, and is breadboard compatible.

One breakout at the end has an “FTDI” pinout so you can plug in an FTDI or console cable to upload software and read/write debugging information via the UART. When you're done with your coding, remove the cable, and this little module can be embeded into your project box.

Each module comes pre-loaded with NodeMCU's Lua interpreter, you can run commands, and 'save' Lua programs directly to the module's Flash using a USB-Serial converter cable. But, if you'd like, you can skip Lua and go direct to using the Arduino IDE. Once you download the ESP8266 core, you can treat it just like a microcontroller+WiFi board, no other processors needed!