Read DHT11 temperature and humidity on ESP32-C3

Overview and result#

Skip the usual Hello World LED example and read a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor directly.

Experiment details#

The final output looks like this.

The DHT11 readings appear directly in the terminal without an extra serial monitor.

Generate the template project#

The process is the same as the previous guide, so follow Create an ESP32 starter project with esp-generate.

Open the project#

• Add the required crate from the project root:

cargo add esp32-dht11-rs

Add the following code to main.rs.

• Import the required crate at the top:

use esp32_dht11_rs::{DHT11};
use esp_hal::delay::Delay;

• Then initialize the sensor in main:

let delay = Delay::new();
let mut dht11 = DHT11::new(peripherals.GPIO0, delay);
let mut dht11_read_counter = 1;

• Copy this block into the loop:

match dht11.read() {
            Ok(m) => println!("DHT11 TEMP is: {}℃ DHT11 HUMI is:{}% measuring for [NO.{:?}] time", m.temperature, m.humidity, dht11_read_counter),
            Err(error) => println!("error occurred: {:?}", error),
        }
        Timer::after_millis(2000).await;
        dht11_read_counter += 1;

• With the board powered off, connect the hardware:

# esp32c3   # dht11
gpio0   ->    dat
vcc     ->    vcc
gnd     ->    gnd

• Connect the board to the computer and run:

Install the CH34x driver separately if your board requires it.

cargo run --release

The terminal will show the compiling step.

Flashing starts automatically; you normally do not need to press any board button, including BOOT.

After flashing, readings should print in the terminal. Holding the DHT11 module will quickly raise humidity and slowly raise temperature, confirming that the sensor and program work.

Troubleshooting#

• If the terminal is empty, check that GPIO0, VCC, and GND are wired correctly and that the sensor voltage matches the board.
• If cargo run --release cannot flash, verify that espflash is installed and that no other program owns the board's serial port.
• If compilation cannot find esp32_dht11_rs, return to the project root and run cargo add esp32-dht11-rs again.