esp_lcd: Add ST7735S driver for 0.96" 160×80 TFT (Adafruit Mini TFT) with ESP32-C6 support (IDFGH-16928) (AEGHB-1337)

[T4V4RES]

Is your feature request related to a problem?

The ESP-IDF currently supports several LCD controllers (e.g., ST7789, ILI9341, GC9A01), but it does not include native support for the ST7735S 0.96" 160×80 TFT modules.

These displays are widely used in compact UI applications, low-power devices and status screens, and the absence of an official driver requires developers to rely on third-party components or maintain custom drivers. This makes it difficult to integrate the panel cleanly using the esp_lcd API, and leads to duplicated effort across different projects.

I would like to contribute a fully working driver for this panel.

Describe the solution you'd like.

I have implemented a complete esp_lcd-compatible panel driver for the ST7735S 0.96" 160×80 display, including:

• initialization sequences for both Revision A and Revision B (different offsets and inversion modes),
• support for ESP32-C6 SPI peripherals,
• correct handling of address windows, color ordering, mirroring and rotation,
• an example application demonstrating initialization, drawing and orientation control.

The driver follows the design of existing esp_lcd_panel_* drivers such as ST7789 and SSD1306.

I would like to contribute this implementation to the esp_lcd component so that ST7735S displays become officially supported.

Describe alternatives you've considered.

No response

Additional context.

I have already tested the driver on real hardware:

• Display: ST7735S 0.96" 160×80 TFT (Adafruit Mini TFT)
• MCU: ESP32-C6 DevKitC-1
• Features verified:
  • color fill,
  • bitmap drawing,
  • SPI operation at 20 MHz and 40 MHz,
  • rotation (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°),
  • address window correctness,
  • revision-specific offsets (Rev A vs Rev B),
  • backlight PWM.

If maintainers approve the contribution, I will create a pull request with the driver structured according to the ESP-IDF guidelines (components/esp_lcd/src/, proper Kconfig/CMake integration, and optional example under examples/peripherals/lcd/).

I also have an example project available in my GitHub repositories that demonstrates the driver in use.
Please note that the example is not fully completed yet: I was experimenting with adding image rendering support by converting images into .h files for display on the panel.

This example can be used for reference or verification if needed, and I will update or refine it according to any feedback from the maintainers.

If maintainers need any additional information, clarifications, or testing, I am available on Discord as well (username: t4v4res).
I am happy to assist with any follow-up questions or discussion regarding the integration of this driver.

[atanisoft]

This may be better suited to be a component (external to esp_lcd) and published to components.espressif.com (which has a similar ST7735 driver today).

[T4V4RES]

Thank you for the clarification!

I agree that publishing this driver as an external component is a suitable solution.
I will prepare a clean standalone component with proper integration, documentation and an example, and publish it to components.espressif.com.

If there are any specific guidelines or expectations for Component Registry submissions (naming conventions, API structure, etc.), please let me know and I will be happy to follow them.

[atanisoft]

I'm not certain that there are enforced guidelines as it seems to be very mixed from one component to the next. I'd say do your best to document things and adjust as things arise

[suda-morris]

@T4V4RES
Thank you for your suggestion! Indeed, there are already some ST7735 drivers from the community in the Component Registry. If these drivers do not meet your needs, you can consider the following three options:

1. Submit a PR to the community repository: If you find that existing drivers have issues, you can submit a Pull Request to the community repository and release a new version.
2. Create and publish a new driver component: You can also create a new ST7735 driver component in your Github and publish it to the component registry with your own namespace.
3. Additionally, you can submit a PR to the following two repositories to include the driver component under official maintenance:

• ESP IoT Solution Display LCD Components
• ESP BSP Display LCD Components

I hope these suggestions are helpful! If you have any further questions or need more assistance, please feel free to let me know.