🚀 Getting Started · Beginner · ~30 min

Code Your Robot
Like a Pro

VS Code · PROS · EZ Template — Complete Setup Guide

💾

Tools

VS Code · PROS CLI · EZ Template

⏱️

~30

Minutes

Total install + first compile & upload.

🎯

Sections

Overview · VS Code · PROS · EZ Template · First Program.

🚀

1st

Step

Click Section 01 to begin. Don't skip ahead.

📚 Get Started with V5 · VEX Library

VEX’s official getting-started reference — install VEXcode, charge, pair, update firmware.

Get Started with VEX V5 ↗ Getting Started with VEX V5 ↗ Building with VEX V5 ↗ Selecting a V5 Robot Kit ↗ → All V5 docs ↗

🤖

What You'll Set Up

Three tools that work together to power your V5RC robot

ⓘ

What you need before starting: A school or personal laptop running Windows, macOS, or Linux. A V5 Brain and micro-USB cable. About 30 minutes. No prior coding experience required.

✅

By the end of this guide you will have: VS Code installed, PROS running, EZ Template configured, and code uploaded to a V5 Brain for the first time.

🖥️

VS Code

Your code editor. Where you write, edit and manage all your robot's source files.

⚙️

PROS

The programming environment. Compiles C++ and uploads code to your V5 Brain.

🚗

EZ Template

A PROS library with pre-built drive, auton selector, and chassis control code.

INFO Why use this stack instead of VEXcode? ›

VEXcode is beginner-friendly but limited. The PROS + VS Code stack gives you:

Full C++ with no restrictions — use any library or feature
Git version control for team collaboration
Intelligent autocomplete, IntelliSense, and error highlighting
EZ Template's auton selector, PID tuning, and chassis abstractions
Faster compile and upload speeds

✅ Most competitive V5RC teams at the Worlds level use PROS. Learning it now puts you ahead.

INFO What you need before starting ›

Windows 10/11, macOS, or Linux

Hardware

VEX V5 Brain + USB cable

Internet

Required for installs

Time

~30 minutes total

🖥️

Visual Studio Code

Install and configure your editor

STEP 01 Download and Install VS Code ›

Go to code.visualstudio.com and download the installer for your OS.

Run the installer. On Windows, check these options during install:

✅ Add to PATH
✅ Register Code as an editor for supported file types
✅ Add "Open with Code" to right-click context menu

💡 The "Add to PATH" option is important — it lets you run code . from a terminal to open any folder.

STEP 02 Install the PROS Extension ›

The PROS extension connects VS Code to the PROS toolchain.

Open VS Code
Press Ctrl+Shift+X (or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac) to open Extensions
Search for "PROS"
Install the extension by PROS Development Team

✅ The PROS extension automatically installs the compiler toolchain and the pros CLI the first time you use it.

STEP 03 Recommended Extra Extensions ›

These aren't required, but they make coding much smoother:

Extension

C/C++ (Microsoft)

Extension

GitLens

Extension

Better Comments

Extension

Bracket Pair Colorizer

💡 C/C++ (Microsoft) is the most important — it gives you IntelliSense, which shows autocomplete and error squiggles as you type.

STEP 04 Learn the VS Code Layout ›

Key areas you'll use constantly:

Explorer (Ctrl+Shift+E) — Browse your project files
Terminal (Ctrl+`) — Run PROS commands
Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) — Run any command by name
PROS Sidebar — Click the PROS icon on the left bar for quick actions

🖼️

[Image Placeholder: VS Code layout — Explorer panel, Terminal, and PROS sidebar labeled]

⚠️ Save files frequently with Ctrl+S. PROS will compile from disk, so unsaved changes won't be included.

⚙️

PROS

Purdue Robotics Operating System — set up your project

STEP 01 What is PROS? ›

PROS (Purdue Robotics Operating System) is a free, open-source development environment for VEX V5 robots. It lets you write full C or C++ programs with access to all V5 hardware.

Made and maintained by the Purdue ACM SIGBots team
Used by the majority of top-ranking V5RC teams
Supports motors, sensors, pneumatics, radio, vision sensor, and more
Real-time operating system (RTOS) — supports multitasking with tasks

STEP 02 Create a New PROS Project ›

After installing the extension, create your first project:

Open VS Code and click the PROS icon in the left sidebar
Click "Create New Project"
Choose a folder and project name (e.g. my-robot)
Select the latest PROS kernel version
Click Create — VS Code will scaffold the project

⚠️ If you're using EZ Template (next section), skip creating a blank project here — EZ Template has its own template you'll download instead.

STEP 03 Understand the Project Structure ›

A PROS project looks like this:

📁 my-robot/ ├── 📁 include/ │ └── main.h ← Declare functions/globals here ├── 📁 src/ │ ├── main.cpp ← Your main code │ ├── autons.cpp ← Autonomous routines │ └── robot-config.cpp ← Motor & sensor setup ├── 📁 firmware/ ← PROS kernel (don't edit) └── project.pros ← Project config file

STEP 04 Build and Upload to Your Robot ›

Connect your V5 Brain via USB, then use these commands in the terminal:

pros build         # Compile your code
pros upload        # Upload to V5 Brain
pros build-upload  # Compile AND upload in one step
pros terminal      # Open serial monitor (view print output)

Or use the PROS sidebar buttons — Build, Upload, and Build+Upload are available with one click.

✅ Green text in the terminal means success. If you see red errors, check the error messages — they'll point to the exact file and line number.

STEP 05 Key PROS Functions to Know ›

These are the most common PROS functions for V5 hardware:

// Motors
pros::Motor left_motor(1);           // Port 1
left_motor.move_velocity(200);       // -600 to +600 RPM
left_motor.move_voltage(12000);      // -12000 to +12000 mV
left_motor.brake();

// Controller
pros::Controller controller(pros::E_CONTROLLER_MASTER);
int leftY = controller.get_analog(ANALOG_LEFT_Y);

// Sensors
pros::Imu imu(10);                   // IMU on port 10
pros::Rotation rot(5);               // Rotation sensor
pros::Distance dist(3);             // Distance sensor

// Tasks & Delays
pros::delay(20);                     // Wait 20ms
pros::Task myTask(myFunction);       // Run function in parallel

🚗

EZ Template

Pre-built chassis control, auton selector & PID library

STEP 01 What is EZ Template? ›

EZ Template is a PROS library created by EZ-Robotics that gives you a fully working drive system out of the box, so you can focus on strategy instead of low-level code.

It includes:

🎮 Driver control — tank, arcade, single-stick drive modes
📍 Autonomous PID movements — drive forward/turn/swing with tunable PID
📋 Autonomous selector — choose auton on the brain's screen before match
🧭 Odometry support — track your robot's position on the field
🔧 Easy configuration — just list your motor ports and go

STEP 02 Download the EZ Template Project ›

EZ Template provides a ready-to-use example project to start from:

Go to github.com/EZ-Robotics/EZ-Template
Find the latest release and download EZ-Template-Example-Project.zip
Unzip the folder and open it in VS Code (File → Open Folder)
VS Code will detect it as a PROS project automatically

💡 Always start from the example project, not a blank PROS project. It already has all the EZ Template files wired up correctly.

STEP 03 Configure Your Drive in robot-config.cpp ›

Open src/robot-config.cpp and set your motor ports. This is the main file you edit to match your physical robot:

// Example: 3-motor left, 3-motor right drivetrain
ez::Drive chassis(
  // Left motors — negative = reversed
  {-1, -2, -3},
  // Right motors — positive = forward
  {4, 5, 6},
  // IMU port
  7,
  // Wheel diameter (inches), external gear ratio
  3.25, 1.0
);

⚠️ Negative port numbers (-1, -2) reverse that motor's direction. Get this right or your robot will drive sideways!

STEP 04 Set Up Driver Control in main.cpp ›

In src/main.cpp, inside the opcontrol() function, add your driver control loop:

void opcontrol() {
  while (true) {
    // Tank drive: left stick left side, right stick right side
    chassis.opcontrol_tank();

    // OR: arcade drive (one stick controls both)
    // chassis.opcontrol_arcade_standard(ez::SPLIT);

    pros::delay(ez::E_TASK_DELAY); // Always include this!
  }
}

💡 The pros::delay(ez::E_TASK_DELAY) line is critical — it prevents the loop from using 100% CPU and causing issues with other tasks.

STEP 05 Write Autonomous Routines in autons.cpp ›

In src/autons.cpp, write your autonomous functions using EZ Template's movement commands:

void my_auton() {
  // Drive forward 24 inches
  chassis.pid_drive_set(24_in, DRIVE_SPEED);
  chassis.pid_wait();

  // Turn right 90 degrees
  chassis.pid_turn_set(90_deg, TURN_SPEED);
  chassis.pid_wait();

  // Drive forward another 12 inches
  chassis.pid_drive_set(12_in, DRIVE_SPEED);
  chassis.pid_wait();
}

Then register it in the auton selector in initialize():

ez::as::auton_selector.autons_add({
  {"Drive Forward\
6 Inch Side", my_auton},
  {"Do Nothing",                 default_constants},
});

✅ The auton selector shows on the V5 Brain screen. Use the arrows to pick your auton before a match — no re-uploading needed!

STEP 06 Tune Your PID Constants ›

PID tuning makes your autonomous movements accurate. In autons.cpp, find default_constants():

void default_constants() {
  // Drive PID
  chassis.pid_drive_constants_set(10.0, 0.003, 100.0);
  //                               kP     kI      kD

  // Turn PID
  chassis.pid_turn_constants_set(3.0, 0.05, 20.0);

  // Heading correction
  chassis.pid_heading_constants_set(11.0, 0.0, 20.0);
}

Quick tuning guide:

kP (Proportional) — Increase if robot undershoots; decrease if it overshoots
kD (Derivative) — Increase to reduce oscillation/wobbling at the end
kI (Integral) — Usually keep very small or 0; helps with steady-state error

🚀

Your First Full Program

A complete working robot program from scratch

STEP 01 Full Workflow Checklist ›

Follow this checklist every time you set up a new robot or season:

☐ Install VS Code + PROS extension
☐ Download EZ Template example project
☐ Open project in VS Code
☐ Edit robot-config.cpp — set motor ports, wheel size, gear ratio
☐ Run pros build-upload — verify the robot drives
☐ Tune drive PID using default_constants()
☐ Write first auton in autons.cpp
☐ Register auton in the selector
☐ Test and iterate!

STEP 02 Adding Extra Mechanisms (Intake, Catapult, etc.) ›

Beyond the drivetrain, you'll want to control other mechanisms. Add motors in robot-config.cpp:

// In robot-config.cpp
pros::Motor intake(8, pros::E_MOTOR_GEAR_GREEN);
pros::Motor catapult(9, pros::E_MOTOR_GEAR_RED);

Then control them in opcontrol():

// In main.cpp opcontrol()
if (master.get_digital(DIGITAL_R1)) {
  intake.move_voltage(12000);      // Full speed forward
} else if (master.get_digital(DIGITAL_R2)) {
  intake.move_voltage(-12000);     // Full speed reverse
} else {
  intake.brake();
}

STEP 03 Useful Terminal Commands Cheatsheet ›

pros build              # Compile only (check for errors)
pros upload             # Upload to Brain
pros build-upload       # Compile + upload
pros terminal           # Serial monitor (debug prints)
pros conductor upgrade  # Update PROS kernel
pros c fetch ez-template@x.x.x   # Fetch/update EZ Template

💡 Use

printf("value: %d\
", myVar);

in your code, then run pros terminal to see debug output in real time over USB.

STEP 04 Common Errors and Fixes ›

Robot not responding after upload?

Ensure the Brain is on and connected via USB-micro
Try a different USB port or cable
Reinstall VEX USB drivers if on Windows

Motors moving wrong direction?

Add a - before the port number in your chassis constructor to reverse it

Auton drifting or inaccurate?

Calibrate the IMU: chassis.imu_calibrate(); in initialize()
Retune PID kP and kD values

Build errors / red squiggles everywhere?

Run pros build in the terminal for detailed error output
Make sure C/C++ extension is installed and IntelliSense is initialized

✅ The PROS Discord (discord.gg/vrc) and EZ Template Discord are incredibly helpful communities. Don't hesitate to ask!

LINKS Essential Resources ›

VS Code

code.visualstudio.com

PROS Docs

pros.cs.purdue.edu

EZ Template Docs

ez-robotics.github.io/EZ-Template

EZ GitHub

github.com/EZ-Robotics/EZ-Template

VEX Discord

discord.gg/vrc

VRC Forum

vexforum.com