folder2uf2

What it does

Ships a CircuitPython project as one file, so customers copy once.

Install

pip install folder2uf2

Python 3.8 or newer, standard library only. No dependencies.

Three ways to ship

Output	Goes onto	Board must be
code.py	CIRCUITPY	running CircuitPython
.uf2	RPI-RP2, RP2350	in the UF2 bootloader
.bin	flashed by esptool	ESP32, any state

Self-extract: one file, no bootloader

Pack the project. Output must be code.py, the name CircuitPython runs.

folder2uf2 --self-extract -o code.py myproject/

What your customer does

1. drag code.py onto CIRCUITPY
2. CIRCUITPY disappears for about 4 seconds
3. board reboots with code.py, lib/ and assets in place

Ports

Any board with zlib and binascii. Firmware does the writing.

Chip	Tested on	Self-extract
RP2040	Metro RP2040	yes
RP2350	Metro RP2350	yes
ESP32-S2	Metro ESP32-S2	yes
ESP32-S3	Metro ESP32-S3	yes
SAMD51	Metro M4 AirLift	yes
nRF52840	Feather nRF52840	yes
STM32F405	Feather STM32F405	yes
SAMD21	Metro M0 Express	no, lacks zlib

Every row was run on hardware, not inferred.

SAMD, nRF and STM keep the filesystem on external QSPI. That changes nothing.

.uf2 and .bin output stay RP2 and ESP32 only.

If it fails

The drive is handed back with an error. Nobody gets locked out.

How it works

storage.unsafe_disable_usb_drive() makes CIRCUITPY writable from code.py.

# payload rides in trailing comments, inflated one file at a time
# peak RAM is the largest single file, not the whole tree
# remount() cannot: MSC holds the block device lock while mounted

Limits

Needs CircuitPython installed already. CIRCUITPY vanishes while it runs.

zlib required: default wherever CIRCUITPY_FULL_BUILD is set
60KB incompressible single file verified on a 264KB RP2040

UF2, for RP2 boards

# filesystem only
folder2uf2 --board adafruit_metro_rp2350 -o fs.uf2 myproject/

# firmware and filesystem together
folder2uf2 --board adafruit_metro_rp2350 \
           --combine firmware.uf2 -o product.uf2 myproject/

# wipe residual data rather than writing only used sectors
folder2uf2 --board adafruit_metro_rp2350 --full -o fs.uf2 myproject/

# a board with no built-in profile
folder2uf2 --flash-offset 0x100000 --flash-size 0x1000000 \
           --family-id 0xe48bff59 -o fs.uf2 myproject/

folder2uf2 --list-boards

ESP32

tinyuf2 writes only ota_0, so ESP32 gets a raw image for esptool.

folder2uf2 --board esp32_16mb -o fs.bin myproject/
esptool --before no-reset --after no-reset write-flash 0x450000 fs.bin

Storage extend

Layouts differ, so read the table off your chip.

esptool --before no-reset --after no-reset read-flash 0x8000 0xc00 pt.bin
folder2uf2 --board esp32_16mb --partition-table pt.bin --storage-extend -o fs.bin src/

storage_extended = (_partition[0]->size < fatfs_bytes());
/* S3 16MB has that slot: 28032 sectors. S2 4MB does not: 1920. */

Download mode

One-shot: one esptool run per entry, then power cycle.

Bootloader

Install the tinyuf2 bootloader first, per your board's learn guide.

Browser instead of esptool

Takes a file and an offset, so customers need no Python.

https://adafruit.github.io/Adafruit_WebSerial_ESPTool/

How it was tested

Self-extract, three boards

RP2040 is the tight one.

Adafruit CircuitPython 10.3.0 on 2026-08-31; Adafruit Metro RP2040 with rp2040
Adafruit CircuitPython 10.3.0 on 2026-08-31; Adafruit Metro RP2350 with rp2350b
Adafruit CircuitPython 10.3.0 on 2026-08-31; Adafruit Metro ESP32S3 with ESP32S3

60144 bytes of source packed into 84356 bytes
assets.bin 60000 bytes incompressible, md5 matched
lib/mypkg/__init__.py created, nested dir
code.py replaced by the product, printed its marker

Drive returned unaided. All boards restored, identical.

What the RP2040 taught

Two MemoryErrors before it fit, both invisible on roomier chips.

"".join(chunks)        -> allocating 80037 bytes, failed
growing a bytearray    -> allocating 49680 bytes, failed
preallocate + memoryview -> fits

Combine, Metro RP2350

Before, then after one UF2 carrying the 10.3.0 release.

Adafruit CircuitPython 10.3.0-alpha.4 on 2026-07-23; Adafruit Metro RP2350 with rp2350b

Adafruit CircuitPython 10.3.0 on 2026-08-31; Adafruit Metro RP2350 with rp2350b
code.py output:
FOLDER2UF2-COMBINE-OK marker 8f3a21
lib import works

restored by a second combined UF2, 108 files identical

ESP32 image, Metro ESP32-S3

Partition table read from the chip, not assumed.

ffat  data fat  0x450000  0xBB0000  11968K
wrote 43520 bytes, hash verified
volume 28032 sectors, files intact

Safety

Firmware is untouched unless you pass --combine.

--self-extract writes only your files, leaving others alone
an ESP32 image sized wrong overflows, so read the table

Credit

Idea from jepler's archived mkfatimg. Thanks @todbot for the requests.

adafruit/circuitpython#10074

License

MIT