[gravitronic]

I don't see it mentioned in the thread, so I'll link to ESPHome. It is an incredible platform when you just want to read some sensors or put some relays or switches onto the network, integrates with Home Assistant. One of the most enjoyable firmware installation procedures I've ever encountered.

https://esphome.io

Most of the use cases I've seen have them report to Home Assistant or something similar, but I think some people use them directly without a host.