We've been porting our BASIC for ARM to popular hardware platforms, and now we include micro:bit nRF51822 to join Arduino Zeros, Pokito LPC1768mbed and Teensy. We don't build or sell these boards but by providing a binary file it is easy for user to load BASIC firmware onto these platforms.

For the micro:bit download and copy this NRF51822.bin binary onto the File page of the microbit

Push the RESET button on the micro:bit.

Then download and install our BASICtools onto your Windows PC (you can also run it on Linux or Mac)

Then run BASICtools (there should be a Desktop shortcut -- depending on which Windows version) If it is not there, the default install location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Coridium. There is a BASICtools application, you can create your own shortcut.

When you run that you will then see BASICtools interface screen

It should automatically find the micro:bit serial port which you can see here.

It will have a capital M or capital C showing it is an mbed or generic serial port, depending on which drivers your Windows has installed. Win10 has all these drivers installed by default. If you don't see that, your Windows does not have the proper drivers refer to this forum thread

Now when you push the RESET button on the micro:bit you will see this welcome message.

You can now enter a short program, line by line in the Enter box at the bottom of the BASICtools window.

Hit return then the run button or type run into that box and the program compiles, downloads and executes.

For larger programs we have installed Notepad++, or you can use your favorite text editor. After saving those edited file, you can use the BASICtools File->Open to compile and execute them on the micro:bit.

We have ported some examples for the micro:bit to BASIC

We are looking for feedback and you can comment on our forum.

The next generation of engineers is important and these tools get them started on their path.