The team at CAPUF Embedded is building web tools that will help embedded engineers build products faster and more easily.
One of our first tools is a web serial terminal.
It is a serial terminal that you can access via Chrome Browser. You can use it on your Laptop or desktop. Not on mobile devices yet.
Now access your Serial Or USB-Serial device directly from the browser!
How does Web Serial Terminal work?
When you enter the URL of Web Serial Terminal, it loads the App from the server onto the browser, and then it runs locally.
It connects to the device which is locally connected to the USB/Serial port of the PC.
Chrome Browser provides Web Serial API with the help of which it connects to the serial device. So, data is not sent from the cloud to the serial device. It is all locally on the browser.
Cloud is only used to manage your workspace like creating a new workspace, storing your workspace, and giving you the facility to edit it and share it with other users.
Why Web Serial Terminal?
We wanted to help development engineers to save their development time by increasing reuse and allowing share.
- It is available on the web. There is no installation required, and not even need to update manually.
- Works on Chrome Browser(even on Opera and Microsoft Edge) so it can work on any popular OS like Windows, Linux, or Mac if you use the mentioned browsers.
- You can create a workspace with buttons for various serial commands and can save that workspace for future use.
- Your workspaces are saved on the cloud so you don’t need to worry about losing them.
- You can share your workspace with your friends, other companies, customers, or test engineers just by adding their email id. They will be able to use it immediately without any setup required.
- You can make the workspace public so everyone can have access to it. Imagine your work or someone else’s work is helping thousands of engineers and saving their valuable time.
- You can run commands(Buttons) saved in the workspace in a sequence by Run Sequence Button. So, now you have a small serial script for basic automation or testing needs.
- You can easily clone your or publically shared workspaces and modify them as per your needs.
- Imagine you are a manufacturer with a serial interface like Digital Multimeter, Power Supply, or any other device. You can create a workspace for your device and share it publically and then share the link with your users/customers so that they can evaluate your device very quickly without much effort in setting it up. Your customers will be very happy to have such a fast evaluation experience.
We will be improving this tool continuously based on the feedback we will get from the users. In the coming weeks and months, this will be much more useful and powerful.
We need your support!
Known Limitations
There are some known limitations as it is still in the BETA Phase and under development.
Serial Port settings are not retained when you move from one page to another.Serial Port settings are now saved along with the workspace.- The console export/download option is under development.
- You need to share the workspace publically if you want the workspace link to be used for access by another user with a guest login. If another user is registered, then you can share the workspace privately also.
Feedback
We welcome all feedback. Please send us your comments or suggestions.