PICkit

Key takeaways

PICkit belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect PICkit to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PICkit from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

PICkit is a family of programmers for PIC microcontrollers made by Microchip Technology. They are used to program and debug microcontrollers, as well as program EEPROM. Some models may also feature logic analyzers and serial communications (UART) tools.

Versions

PICkit 1 The PICkit 1 was a rudimentary USB programmer for PIC microcontrollers, produced by Microchip Technology, the manufacturer of the PIC series of microcontrollers. It was introduced on March 31, 2003, priced at US$36. The PICkit 1 was integrated into a demonstrator board, featuring eight LEDs, a switch, and a potentiometer. Its default program, explained in the documentation, rotates the LEDs in series. The light display's direction and speed of rotation can be changed with the button and potentiometer on the PICkit board.

PICkit 2

The PICkit 2 was introduced in May 2005 to replace the PICkit 1. The PICkit 2 has a separate programmer/debugger unit which plugs into the board carrying the chip to be programmed, whereas the PICkit 1 is a single unit. This makes it possible to use the programmer with a custom circuit board via an in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) header. This feature is not intended for so-called "production" programming, however. The PICkit 2 uses an internal PIC18F2550 with FullSpeed USB. The PICkit 2 firmware allows the user to program and debug most of the 8 and 16-bit PICmicro and dsPIC members of the Microchip product line. The PICkit 2 is open to the public, including its hardware schematic, firmware source code (in C language), and application programs (in C# language). End users and third parties can modify both the hardware and software. e.g. Linux version of PICkit 2 application software, DOS-style CMD support, etc. The PICkit 2 has a Programmer-To-Go (PTG) feature, which enables the PIC MCU memory image to be downloaded into on-board memory (128 KB I²C EEPROM or 256 KB I²C EEPROM). Once the image has been downloaded, devices can be programmed with this memory image without a PC. The Microchip version of PICkit 2 has 128 KB memory as standard. 256 KB memory can be accommodated by modifying the hardware or by using a third-party clone. A 500 kHz three-channel logic analyzer and a UART tool are built into the PICkit 2. These features are not available in the PICkit 3. Since the release of V2.61, PICkit 2 PC software now supports a maximum of 4 megabytes of memory for the programmer-to-go feature. With this modification, the PICkit 2 supports eight times as much memory as the PICkit 3. This enhancement has been contributed by Au Group Electronics and the PICkit 2 firmware is also reported to be submitted to the Microchip PICkit 2 team in the middle of March 2009.

PICkit 3

In January 2009, Microchip released the PICkit 3, a variation of the PICkit 2 with the same form factor and a new translucent case. It features a faster 16-bit PIC24F processor and a wider voltage regulation range. Both PICkit 2 and PICkit 3 have internal, switch-mode voltage regulators: from a 5 V USB supply at around 100 mA, the PICkit 2, generates 2.5 to 5 volts, and the PICkit 3 generates 2.5 to 5.5 volts. On both units, accuracy may be increased by calibrating the output with a multimeter. For some PICs, the MCLR programming voltage can be generated, at around 13 to 14 volts. This voltage is required to reprogram the flash memory.

PICkit 4

In February 2018, Microchip released the PICkit 4, which supports ICSP and JTAG debugging/programming. At the time of launch, not all PIC devices are supported, but the firmware is continually being upgraded to add support for new devices. PICkit4 also supports programming/debugging of AVR devices with UPDI/PDI/JTAG/SPI/debugWIRE interfaces by enumerating in "AVR mode" which makes its USB communication interface compatible with that of Atmel-ICE.

PICkit 5 In July 2023, Microchip released the PICkit 5. It supports ICSP and JTAG debugging/programming for Microchip devices and UPDI/PDI/JTAG/SPI/debugWIRE for AVR devices. PICkit 5 appears almost identical to the PICkit 4 and both share a similar feature set. The only functional differences are the use of the USB-C connector (instead of the older micro-B USB) and Bluetooth connectivity.

PICkit Basic Microchip Technology Inc. released the PICkit Basic in March of 2025 as a low-cost alternative for development of various microcontrollers. The PICkit Basic launched with a price of $29.99, significantly lower than the PICkit 5 at $74.99. The lower cost results in several differences between the PICkit 5 and PICkit Basic. High-Voltage programming, Programmer To-Go, MicroSDHC slot, Bluetooth, Virtual Comm Port (VCOM), and power to or from target circuit are all not available on the PICkit Basic. The lack of High-Voltage programming prevents programming of some older Microchip microcontrollers and low pin-count AVR devices in certain Universal Programming and Debugging Interface (UPDI) configurations. The PICkit Basic is designed for simple development and is not intended for use in a production environment. Similar to the PICkit 5, the PICkit Basic is based on a 32-bit SAM E70 Arm Cortex-M7 at 300 MHz and features an 8-pin Single In-Line connector, USB-C interface operating at USB 2.0 speeds, hardware and software breakpoints, real-time debugging at full target speed, emergency recovery button for boot firmware recovery. The PICkit Basic has the following features:

Programming PIC, AVR, dsPIC, SAM (MCU and MPU), and CEC MCUs. 4-wire and 2-wire JTAG, Serial Wire Debug (SWD), 10-pin ARM SWD (with included adapter board), In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP), UPDI, PDI, SPI programming, debugWIRE, and TPI programming. Support for 1.2-5.0V target circuit voltage. Two LEDs (active and status) for current mode and error codes.

Software

PICkit 2 and PICkit 3 The software for the Microchip PICkit 2 and PICkit 3 in-circuit debugger/programmers was released by Microchip in 2009 and 2012 respectively. The software is open source and not maintained by Microchip. Consequently, there is no support for modern operating systems or new PIC microcontrollers.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PICkit

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PICkit claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PICkit before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PICkit ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PICkit

In research: PICkit appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses PICkit in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: PICkit is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Microchip Technology hardware, Microcontrollers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PICkit outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study PICkit in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PICkit means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PICkit out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PICkit in simple terms?

PICkit is a family of programmers for PIC microcontrollers made by Microchip Technology. They are used to program and debug microcontrollers, as well as program EEPROM.

Why does PICkit matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PICkit?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PICkit.