PicoSDK & pypicosdk

PicoSDK is Pico Technology’s software development kit that provides native driver-level access to the full hardware functionality of all PicoScope oscilloscopes from Windows, macOS, and Linux. Unlike SCPI-based instrument control, PicoSDK communicates directly with the oscilloscope hardware through optimized native APIs, enabling block capture, continuous streaming at rates up to 125 MS/s, rapid block segmented acquisition, and built-in function generator control with minimal latency and maximum throughput. pypicosdk extends this capability to Python developers with a wrapper library that simplifies oscilloscope control for automated test scripts, data acquisition applications, and measurement automation workflows.

PicoSDK Capabilities

Feature	Detail
Platforms	Windows 64-bit, Windows 32-bit, macOS, Linux
Languages	Python (pypicosdk), C, C++, C#, VB.NET, MATLAB, LabVIEW
API Architecture	Native driver API (non-SCPI, direct hardware access)
Block Capture	Single or repeated triggered acquisitions
Streaming	Continuous data transfer up to 125 MS/s
Rapid Block	Segmented acquisition with minimal re-arm time
AWG Control	Full function generator and AWG programming
Async Callbacks	C-language asynchronous data callbacks
Oscilloscope Support	PicoScope 2000 through 9000 series
Example Code	GitHub repository (github.com/picotech)
Documentation	Programmer’s Guides per series
Community	Technical forum with 20,000+ users
License	Free

The native API architecture is PicoSDK’s key technical differentiator for production test and high-throughput measurement applications. Direct driver communication eliminates the parsing overhead and latency of text-based SCPI command protocols, enabling streaming data rates and acquisition re-arm times that approach the hardware limits of the oscilloscope itself. For C and C++ developers, asynchronous callback interfaces allow continuous streaming of data from PicoScope hardware back to the application without blocking, enabling real-time signal processing and analysis pipelines. For Python developers, pypicosdk abstracts the driver interface into Pythonic function calls while preserving access to the full feature set including block capture, streaming, and function generator control.

Watch the PicoSDK & pypicosdk introduction

PicoSDK supports the full range of PicoScope oscilloscopes from the 2000 Series through the 9000 Series, with per-series Programmer’s Guides documenting every API function, register, and data structure. Example code on GitHub demonstrates common operations in Python, C, C#, and MATLAB, providing working starting points for custom measurement applications. GSAS Micro Systems assists customers with PicoSDK integration into automated test systems, production fixtures, and custom data acquisition applications alongside PicoScope hardware supplied across India.