Serial Studio — Open-Source Serial Data Visualization Dashboard

Introduction

Serial Studio is a cross-platform desktop app for visualizing data from serial ports, network sockets, and Bluetooth. It parses frames using JSON project files and renders them as live gauges, plots, and tables.

What Serial Studio Does

• Connects to serial ports, TCP/UDP sockets, MQTT brokers, and Bluetooth
• Parses byte streams using configurable JSON maps describing frame structure
• Renders live line charts, bar gauges, compass widgets, and data tables
• Logs raw and parsed data to CSV for offline analysis
• Displays multiple data groups in a tabbed dashboard

Architecture Overview

Built with Qt 6 and QML. An I/O manager handles device connections and feeds raw bytes into a frame parser that splits data by delimiters or fixed length. Parsed fields map to named datasets in a JSON project file, and the QML frontend binds those datasets to visual widgets.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Define frame layout in a JSON project file with groups, datasets, and widget types
• Set baud rate, data bits, parity, and stop bits in the connection dialog
• Choose delimiter-based parsing or fixed-interval frame splitting
• Enable CSV logging to capture every frame for later review
• Build from source with Qt 6 on Windows, macOS, or Linux

Key Features

• Multi-protocol input: serial, TCP, UDP, MQTT, and Bluetooth
• JSON-driven dashboard layout versionable alongside firmware code
• Real-time plotting with configurable update rate and history depth
• Built-in console showing raw hex or ASCII alongside the dashboard
• CSV export for post-processing in spreadsheets or scripts

Comparison with Similar Tools

• PuTTY / screen — terminal-only serial access; no graphical plotting or structured parsing
• Arduino Serial Plotter — simple built-in plotter; limited to comma-separated numerics with no custom widgets
• Grafana + Telegraf — powerful dashboards but requires a database backend and heavier setup
• CoolTerm — serial terminal with basic logging; lacks widget visualization and JSON-driven layout

FAQ

Q: What data format does it expect? A: Comma- or tab-separated values ending with a newline by default. Delimiters and frame structure are customizable in the JSON project file.

Q: Can I use it without a JSON project file? A: Yes. Quick-plot mode auto-detects numeric CSV lines and plots each column. The JSON file is only needed for custom widget layouts.

Q: Does it support high baud rates? A: It supports whatever rates the OS serial driver allows, commonly up to 921600 baud and higher on some platforms.

Q: Is the dashboard layout drag-and-drop? A: No. Widget types and groupings come from the JSON project file. You can reload a different file at runtime.

Sources

• Repository: https://github.com/Serial-Studio/Serial-Studio
• Documentation: https://github.com/Serial-Studio/Serial-Studio/wiki