Scripting Flipper from a PC: CLI Automation

The Idea

Since Flipper's CLI is just a serial connection, anything that can talk to a serial port can drive it programmatically — Python with pyserial is the most common approach, letting you script repeatable test sequences, automate data collection, or build custom tooling around Flipper's capabilities without manually navigating on-device menus each time.

Basic Python Setup

pip install pyserialimport serial import time flipper = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyACM0', 115200, timeout=2) # Windows: serial.Serial('COM5', 115200, timeout=2) def send_command(cmd): flipper.write((cmd + '\r\n').encode()) time.sleep(0.1) return flipper.read(flipper.in_waiting or 1).decode(errors='ignore') print(send_command('device_info'))

Practical Automation Example: Batch Signal Testing

signals = ['signal1.sub', 'signal2.sub', 'signal3.sub'] for sig in signals: print(f"Testing {sig}...") send_command(f'subghz tx_from_file /ext/subghz/{sig}') time.sleep(2) # let the transmission complete # log result, prompt for pass/fail, etc.

This pattern — loop through a list of saved captures, transmit each with a pause, log results — is exactly the kind of repetitive testing that's tedious through the on-device menu but trivial once scripted.

Reading Structured Output

Most CLI commands return plain text meant for human reading, not structured JSON/CSV — if you're building anything beyond simple trigger-and-wait automation, plan to parse text output with regex or string splitting rather than expecting clean structured data back.

GPIO Automation Example

def gpio_set(pin, state): send_command(f'gpio set {pin} {state}') def gpio_read(pin): result = send_command(f'gpio read {pin}') return result # Toggle a pin every second, 10 times, logging state for i in range(10): gpio_set(2, 1) time.sleep(1) gpio_set(2, 0) time.sleep(1)

Building a Real Tool Around This

A common pattern for anyone doing repeated RF/IR product testing: a small Python script with a menu (or even a simple local web UI via Flask) that wraps common CLI command sequences into single-click actions — turns Flipper into a scriptable bench instrument rather than a manually-operated handheld, without needing to write custom FAP firmware for the automation layer itself.

Where This Connects to FAP Development

If you're actively developing a custom app (see the "Writing Your First FAP App" guide), the log CLI command combined with a Python script that captures and timestamps output gives you a genuinely useful automated test log across development iterations, rather than manually watching the console each time.