RP2040‑Zero was designed for makers who need a true RP2040 microcontroller dev board in a compact, production‑friendly form. The goal was to combine the approachable Raspberry Pi Pico ecosystem with a module that can be either rapidly prototyped (via header) or permanently integrated (via stamp‑hole) into custom PCBs. Every design choice — from exposing plenty of GPIO and PIO to including USB UF2 support — is aimed at reducing friction between idea and working prototype, and at making small‑batch manufacturing straightforward.

What is it?

RP2040‑Zero is a tiny development module centered on the official Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller. It’s a microcontroller dev board that packs dual‑core processing, ample I/O, and programmable I/O into a stamp‑hole module you can solder directly onto your product boards or use on a header for breadboard development.

Why did we make it?

We made RP2040‑Zero to fill the gap between hobbyist dev boards and production modules. Many makers start on a Raspberry Pi Pico but then struggle to transfer their design to a compact, solderable module for final products. RP2040‑Zero provides the full RP2040 feature set in a small, integratable package so you can design once and scale easily from prototype to small production runs without changing the MCU platform or software stack.

What makes it special?

Stamp‑hole / castellated design: Solder it directly to your PCB for a clean, compact final product or plug it onto a header for breadboard prototyping.

Full RP2040 ecosystem compatibility: Use the same code (MicroPython, C/C++ SDK, Arduino) you would on a Raspberry Pi Pico — zero lock‑in.

PIO flexibility: 8 PIO state machines enable hardware‑grade custom interfaces (e.g., bit‑banged protocols, custom LED drivers) without external logic.

Balanced specs: Dual‑core performance, 2MB flash, and 264KB SRAM give room for complex firmware and small filesystems while keeping the board tiny.

Maker‑friendly programming: UF2 drag‑and‑drop flashing removes tooling friction; advanced users can use the Pico SDK toolchain for optimized C/C++ builds.

Note

USB host note: The RP2040’s USB is primarily a USB 1.1 device interface. Some boards add USB host capability with external components — if you require native USB host (e.g., for some USB peripherals) check your carrier board design or add an external USB host controller.

Programming: Enter UF2 boot mode to use drag‑and‑drop flashing. For advanced debugging or mass‑production flashing, use the SWD pins and standard Pico toolchains.

GPIO availability: While the module exposes 29 GPIO in total, 20 pins are broken out to a standard header for easy prototyping; the remainder are available on pads for soldering or advanced routing.

Power: Support for low‑power sleep modes makes RP2040‑Zero suitable for battery‑powered projects, but real battery life depends on your peripherals and power management choices.