---
myst:
  html_meta:
    description: "An open-source, vendor-agnostic Python library for interfacing with test equipment."
---

# instro

{.lead}
An open-source, vendor-agnostic Python library for interfacing with test equipment.

```python
from instro.daq.drivers.labjack import LabJackTSeriesDriver
# from instro.daq.drivers.ni import NIDAQDriver
from instro.daq import InstroDAQ

daq = InstroDAQ(
  name    = "myDAQ",
  driver  = LabJackTSeriesDriver(device_id="1234")
  #driver = NIDAQDriver(device_id="Dev1") # swap drivers, same code
  )
daq.open()
daq.configure_voltage_input(
    physical_channel="AIN0", alias="ch_0", range_min=0, range_max=5
)
measurement = daq.read_analog()
```

## Purpose

The python ecosystem for test and measurement is fragmented and redundant. `instro` is an [open-source](https://github.com/nominal-io/instro) Python library for interacting with test equipment from one unified, typed API. It provides virtual instruments that are **vendor-agnostic**. Instro instruments use `Publishers` to automatically stream data to a file, [Nominal](https://nominal.io), or a destination of your own.

<div style="display: flex; justify-content: center; margin: 1.5rem 0">
  <iframe
    width="560"
    height="315"
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l8sUYvgwfbc"
    title="instro overview video"
    frameborder="0"
    allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>

## Let's go

::::{grid} 1 1 2 2
:gutter: 2

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`cpu` Supported Instruments
:link: /instruments
:link-type: doc

:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`rocket` Quickstart
:link: /quickstart
:link-type: doc

:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`download` Installation
:link: /installation
:link-type: doc

:::

:::{grid-item-card} {octicon}`code` Examples
:link: /examples/index
:link-type: doc

:::
::::

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Overview

Overview <self>
quickstart
installation
cli
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Instruments

instruments
scope
psu
dmm
daq
awg
eload
flowcontroller
sdr
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Library

library/concepts
library/library
library/publishers
library/protocols/overview
library/transports/overview
library/config-files
library/simulated-instruments
library/custom-instruments
library/contrib
library/exceptions
```

<!-- Examples section: pages generated by _ext/examples.py -->

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Examples
:glob:

examples/index
examples/*/index
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Additional packages
:glob:

examples/packages/*/index
```

<!-- SDK section: API reference under sdk/ -->

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: SDK

Overview <sdk/index>
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Instruments

sdk/instruments/index
sdk/instruments/daq
sdk/instruments/dmm
sdk/instruments/psu
sdk/instruments/eload
sdk/instruments/scope
sdk/instruments/flowcontroller
sdk/instruments/i2c
sdk/instruments/awg
sdk/instruments/sdr
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Library

sdk/library/instrument
sdk/library/types
sdk/library/config
sdk/library/registry
sdk/library/exceptions
sdk/library/publishers
sdk/library/discover
sdk/library/transports
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Protocols

sdk/protocols/index
sdk/protocols/modbus
sdk/protocols/ethernetip
```

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:caption: Changelog

sdk/changelog
```