This isn’t an ESP8266 shield, either: you can write code for the ESP module, connect the serial pins, and hit the program button. The basic functions of the Arduino IDE – pinMode, digitalRead ...

While the TI solution costs about $10 if you buy several thousand of them, the ESP8266 costs less than $7 for an individual board that can plug straight into an Arduino or similar. Buy the chip in ...

With that said, the same goes for a Raspberry Pi. For example, many enthusiasts pair the ESP8266 with an Arduino, but you can also use it without one. You can program it directly and run your own ...