# ComChan (Communication Channel)
<div align="center">
**A Blazingly Fast Serial Monitor for Embedded Systems and Serial
Communication**
[Features](#features) • [Installation](#installation) •
[Documentation](https://vaishnav.world/ComChan) • [Examples](#examples) •
</div>
---
**Table of Contents**
- [Installation](#installation)
- [From crates.io](#from-cratesio)
- [From AUR](#from-aur)
- [Using Homebrew](#using-homebrew)
- [From source](#from-source)
- [Documentation](#documentation)
- [Common Commands](#common-commands)
- [Basic Serial Monitor](#basic-serial-monitor)
- [Verbose Mode](#verbose-mode)
- [Log Mode](#log-mode)
- [Serial Plotter](#serial-plotter)
- [Automatically Detect Serial Ports](#automatically-detect-serial-ports)
- [Use a Configuration File](#use-a-configuration-file)
- [Features](#features)
- [Current Features ✅](#current-features-)
- [Planned Features 🚧](#planned-features-)
- [Legends](#legends)
- [Examples](#examples)
- ["Hello World" Program](#hello-world-program)
- [User Input](#user-input)
- [Serial Plotter](#serial-plotter-1)
- [Auto Serial Port Detector](#auto-serial-port-detector)
- [Using the Configuration File](#using-the-configuration-file)
- [Serial Monitor (`plot = false`)](#serial-monitor-plot--false)
- [Serial Plotter (`plot = true`)](#serial-plotter-plot--true)
- [Serial Plotter Multiple Sensor Values](#serial-plotter-multiple-sensor-values)
- [Full Working Demo](#full-working-demo)
- [ComChan in Windows](#comchan-in-windows)
- [Community](#community)
- [Stargazers over time (Graph)](#stargazers-over-time-graph)
- [🧠 (mostly) Brain made](#-mostly-brain-made)
---
## Installation
Choose your preferred installation method:
### From crates.io
> [!NOTE]
> The easiest way to install ComChan is via `cargo install`
```bash
# Install from source
cargo install comchan
# Install the binary directly (faster)
cargo binstall comchan
```
Verify the installation:
```bash
comchan --version
```
### From AUR
For Arch Linux users, ComChan is available in the AUR (thanks to
[orhun](https://github.com/orhun)!):
```bash
# Using yay
yay -S comchan
# Using paru
paru -S comchan
```
### Using Homebrew
ComChan can be installed via Homebrew taps:
```bash
brew install Vaishnav-Sabari-Girish/taps/comchan
```
### From source
Build from source for the latest development version:
```bash
# Clone from GitHub
git clone git@github.com:Vaishnav-Sabari-Girish/ComChan.git
# Or clone from Codeberg
git clone ssh://git@codeberg.org/Vaishnav-Sabari-Girish/ComChan.git
# Build and run
cd ComChan
cargo build --release
cargo run
```
---
## Documentation
📚 The full documentation for ComChan can be found at
**[vaishnav.world/ComChan](https://vaishnav.world/ComChan)**
---
## Common Commands
### Basic Serial Monitor
Monitor serial output from your device:
```bash
comchan -p <port> -r <baud_rate>
# OR
comchan --port <port> --baud <baud_rate>
```
**Example:**
```bash
comchan -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -r 9600
```
### Verbose Mode
Get detailed information about the serial connection:
```bash
comchan -p <port> -r <baud_rate> -v
# OR
comchan --port <port> --baud <baud_rate> --verbose
```
### Log Mode
Save serial output to a log file:
```bash
comchan -p <port> -r <baud_rate> -l <log_file_name>
# OR
comchan --port <port> --baud <baud_rate> --log <log_file_name>
```
📄 [View example log file](./test.log)
### Serial Plotter
Visualize sensor data in real-time:
```bash
comchan --port <port> --baud <baud_rate> --plot
# OR
comchan -p <port> -r <baud_rate> --plot
```
### Automatically Detect Serial Ports
Let ComChan find your serial device automatically:
```bash
# With default baud rate (9600)
comchan --auto
# With custom baud rate
comchan --auto --baud <baud_rate>
# OR
comchan --auto -r <baud_rate>
```
**Example:**
```bash
comchan --auto --baud 115200
```
### Use a Configuration File
Starting from version 0.1.9, you can use a configuration file instead of
command-line flags:
```bash
# Generate default configuration file
comchan --generate-config
```
This creates a config file at `~/.config/comchan/comchan.toml`
**Example Configuration:**
```toml
# ComChan Configuration File
#
# This file contains default settings for comchan serial monitor.
# Command line arguments will override these settings.
#
# To use auto-detection, set port = "auto"
# Available parity options: "none", "odd", "even"
# Available flow control options: "none", "software", "hardware"
port = "auto"
baud = 9600
data_bits = 8
stop_bits = 1
parity = "none"
flow_control = "none"
timeout_ms = 500
reset_delay_ms = 1000
verbose = false
plot = false
plot_points = 100
```
> [!NOTE]
> The default baud rate is `9600`. You can customize it in the config file or
> override it with command-line flags (`--auto`, `--port`/`-p`, `--baud`/`-r`,
> `--plot`).
---
## Features
### Current Features ✅
- **Read Serial Data** - Monitor incoming serial data from any serial port
- **Write to Serial Port** - Send data to your serial device
- **Basic Logging** - Save serial output to log files
- **Auto-Detect Serial Ports** - Automatically find connected serial devices
- **Configuration Files** - Use `.toml` files instead of command-line flags
- **Terminal-Based Serial Plotter** - Visualize data in real-time with the
`--plot` flag
- **Multiple Sensor Plotting** - Plot multiple sensor values simultaneously with
legends
### Planned Features 🚧
- **Export Serial Data** - Write serial data to files (`.txt`, `.csv`, and more)
### Legends
- ✅ Implemented Features
- 🚧 Yet to be implemented
---
## Examples
### "Hello World" Program
Basic serial monitoring in action:
📝
[View Arduino code](./code_tests/test_comchan_arduino_uno/test_comchan_arduino_uno.ino)
---
### User Input
Interactive serial communication:
📝 [View Arduino code](./code_tests/test_user_input/test_user_input.ino)
---
### Serial Plotter
Real-time data visualization:
📝 [View Arduino code](./code_tests/random_sensor_vals/random_sensor_vals.ino)
---
### Auto Serial Port Detector
Automatic port detection in action:
---
### Using the Configuration File
#### Serial Monitor (`plot = false`)
#### Serial Plotter (`plot = true`)
#### Serial Plotter Multiple Sensor Values
Plot multiple sensors simultaneously with automatic legends:
📝
[View Arduino code](./code_tests/random_sensor_vals_multiple/random_sensor_vals_multiple.ino)
---
### Full Working Demo
Complete workflow demonstration:
---
### ComChan in Windows
As of Version 0.2.2, ComChan works perfectly on Windows with no limitations!
[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23sSd4_bcxM)
**Windows Installation:**
1. Download the `.exe` file from the
[releases page](https://github.com/Vaishnav-Sabari-Girish/ComChan/releases)
2. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
3. Navigate to the download location:
```powershell
cd Downloads
```
4. Run ComChan:
```powershell
comchan.exe --help
```
## Community
### Stargazers over time (Graph)
[](https://starchart.cc/Vaishnav-Sabari-Girish/ComChan)
## 🧠 (mostly) Brain made
**This project was NOT vibe-coded BUT AI is still involved in some parts of
it.**
- **Generating test code:** Because it's something I always skip so I would
rather have some AI generated tests than none at all.
- **Micro-improvements:** I have used AI as an advisor to improve some bits of
code here and there. Big refactors or new features are done by my hand though.
<a href="https://brainmade.org/">
<picture>
<source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="https://brainmade.org/white-logo.svg">
<source media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" srcset="https://brainmade.org/black-logo.svg">
<img alt="brainmade" src="https://brainmade.org/white-logo.svg">
</picture>
</a>
<div align="center">
Made with ❤️ by the ComChan Community
[⬆ Back to Top](#comchan-communication-channel)
</div>