PlatformIO

The following example writes the string CAFE to UART continously, waiting for 100ms in between:

#include <driver/gpio.h>
#include <driver/uart.h>
// Include FreeRTOS for delay
#include <freertos/FreeRTOS.h>
#include <freertos/task.h>

int app_main() {
    uart_config_t uart_config = {
        .baud_rate = 115200,
        .data_bits = UART_DATA_8_BITS,
        .parity    = UART_PARITY_DISABLE,
        .stop_bits = UART_STOP_BITS_1,
        .flow_ctrl = UART_HW_FLOWCTRL_DISABLE
    };
    uart_driver_install(UART_NUM_1, 2048, 0, 0, NULL, 0);
    uart_param_config(UART_NUM_1, &uart_config);
    uart_set_pin(UART_NUM_1, 10, 9, UART_PIN_NO_CHANGE, UART_PIN_NO_CHANGE);

    // Main loop
    while(true) {
        uart_write_bytes(UART_NUM_1, "CAFE", 5);
        vTaskDelay(100 / portTICK_RATE_MS);
    }
}

You can use the FreeRTOS API to provide a delay similar to the Arduino delay() function in the ESP-IDF framework. FreeRTOS is included in the PlatformIO ESP-IDF default configuration.

First, include the FreeRTOS headers

// Include FreeRTOS for delay
#include <freertos/FreeRTOS.h>
#include <freertos/task.h>

After that, you can use vTaskDelay(...) to perform the delay. This example delays by 500ms:

vTaskDelay(500 / portTICK_RATE_MS);

You can use vTaskDelay() even if not using FreeRTOS tasks.

For a full example, refer to PlatformIO ESP-IDF ESP32 blink example

Use this snippet to define a pin as output using the ESP-IDF framework (e.g. using PlatformIO):

gpio_config_t io_conf;
io_conf.intr_type = GPIO_PIN_INTR_DISABLE;
io_conf.mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT;
// Define the pin here (e.g. (1ULL << 2) for GPIO9)
io_conf.pin_bit_mask = (1ULL << 2);
io_conf.pull_down_en = 0;
io_conf.pull_up_en = 0;
gpio_config(&io_conf);

The example above configures GPIO2 as an output. Use (1ULL << 3) to configure GPIO3 as an output

Problem:

You are trying to compile your C/C++ ESP8266/ESP32 firmware using the ESP-IDF framework. Your source code looks like this:

int main() {
    // ...
}

but you only see an error message like this:

.platformio/packages/toolchain-xtensa32/bin/../lib/gcc/xtensa-esp32-elf/8.2.0/../../../../xtensa-esp32-elf/bin/ld.exe: .pio\build\nodemcu-32s\esp-idf\esp32\libesp32.a(cpu_start.c.o):(.literal.main_task+0x18): undefined reference to `app_main'
.platformio/packages/toolchain-xtensa32/bin/../lib/gcc/xtensa-esp32-elf/8.2.0/../../../../xtensa-esp32-elf/bin/ld.exe: .pio\build\nodemcu-32s\esp-idf\esp32\libesp32.a(cpu_start.c.o): in function `main_task':
.platformio\packages\framework-espidf\components\esp32/cpu_start.c:540: undefined reference to `app_main'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
*** [.pio\build\nodemcu-32s\firmware.elf] Error 1

Solution:

For the ESP-IDF framework, the main() function needs to be named app_main():

int app_main() {
    // ...
}

See PlatformIO ESP-IDF ESP32 blink example for a complete example.

This example is the equivalent of the simple Arduino blink example for ESP32 boards when using the ESP-IDF framework:

#include <driver/gpio.h>
// Include FreeRTOS for delay
#include <freertos/FreeRTOS.h>
#include <freertos/task.h>

#define LED 2 // LED connected to GPIO2

int app_main() {
    // Configure pin
    gpio_config_t io_conf;
    io_conf.intr_type = GPIO_PIN_INTR_DISABLE;
    io_conf.mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT;
    io_conf.pin_bit_mask = (1ULL << LED);
    io_conf.pull_down_en = 0;
    io_conf.pull_up_en = 0;
    gpio_config(&io_conf);

    // Main loop
    while(true) {
        gpio_set_level(LED, 0);
        vTaskDelay(500 / portTICK_RATE_MS);
        gpio_set_level(LED, 1);
        vTaskDelay(500 / portTICK_RATE_MS);
    }
}