Show HN: Modeloop – From visual algorithms to microcontroller C code (modeloop.app)

25 points by lucamark 4 days ago

orbifold 4 hours ago

I wish that people would not use AI to generate copy or websites, at this point it induces an almost instinctual negative reaction: 'What Modelloop does -- in three movements' is a classical example of AI lingo. I don't have proof but I feel that the most recent models have gotten worse. The rhetorical devices they use are tiring and off-putting at this point.

lucamark 3 hours ago

Hi and thanks for the comment. Honestly, I spent most of my energy developing the code generation engine and the program interface instead of focusing on the landing page. I'll definitely redesign it and avoid AI-generated content.

noman-land 2 hours ago

Think of it this way: You are designing a complex and beautiful car and right before showing it to people you spraypaint it so it's not grey. It deserves better.

lucamark 2 hours ago

pfannl 5 hours ago

HN found the cursor bug faster than any QA team could. Cool idea though, who is the main user: students, makers, or embedded engineers?

lucamark 3 hours ago

Haha, you're absolutely right! I had some doubts about this mouse pointer style, but I never imagined it would be so hated. Lesson learned: keep stuffs simpler :)

boscillator 5 hours ago

Mostly unrelated, but what is going on with the "I specifically approve section ... of the terms and conditions" when you sign in without an account. Is this a new requirement somewhere?

Other than that, seems interesting! Simulink could always do with a competitor, although I'm always saying Simulink needs a text-based interface. Same signal flow programming model that supports scopes and continues time integrators, just with text instead of drag-and-drop.

lucamark 3 hours ago

To be legally binding and enforceable, they must be explicitly and individually approved by the user. Even when signing in as a guest/without an account, using the app creates a license agreement, so the clickwrap flow must legally capture this specific assent to protect the underlying engine's IP.

Regarding the needs a text-based interface, I totally agree with you! Most of the time you can create models directly within the terminal or with a simple script. That's why we actually provide a CLI that allows you to build and run models. You can initialize models, add blocks with parameters, connect ports, validate the graph, and trigger code generation all from the terminal. Nevertheless, we think the GUI is useful to review the model and inspect it graphically

ale42 4 hours ago

Someone already mentioned the mouse cursor... is it supposed to be solved? Now I see... none, which is kind of pointless on desktop.

lucamark 3 hours ago

Yes Ale, different users commented and complained about the cursor pointer style. I fixed it :)

doc_monster7 5 hours ago

Hey, Embedded Dev here, i will suggest my team to use and i will test it out as well. but honestly i feel more than embedded developers it will be more useful for solution engineers who work with direct customers. Regardless i will my feedback here after testing it.

lucamark 3 hours ago

Uuh great! I will be honored to hear your feedback and that of your team. Just to clarify, the main users we see today are robotics, embedded, and control systems engineers. That said, I can also see it being useful for solution engineers working closely with customer-specific systems. I’d really value your feedback after you’ve tried it.

Please use the HN_PRO_2026 promo code to unlock more features :)

gus_massa 5 hours ago

Does it support Imperial units?

I've seen slighly similar presentations in LabView and/or Matlab. How does your project compare to them?

lucamark 3 hours ago

First, thanks for the questions. Initially it can look like other model based design tools (like Simulink as you mentioned) but actually it is a vertical solution to deploy the algorithms into your embedded system.

Particularly, Modeloop allows developers to iterate on the design and test the solutions before putting on actual hardware.

In Modeloop there are basically two phases: 1) Mathematical verification: developers can insert contracts on the signals on the model design. These contracts specify the maximum and minimum range allowed for each variable. In the code generation phase, they are used to check that are no mathematical inconsistencies in the model. For example, code generation fails if you try to multiply inputs A ∈ [0,10] and B ∈ [0,20] and asserts C (C = A × B) ∈ [0,100]. 2) Testing: developers can not only perform model simulation with defined input profiles, but also they can make unit tests on subsystems - a container of different blocks . This makes the testing phase extremely rigorous.

lucamark 3 hours ago

On units: we do support metadata in the model, but I wouldn’t position it today as a full unit-aware workflow with automatic Imperial/SI conversion across the whole tool. If that part is important for your use case, I’m happy to understand more of it

brudgers 2 days ago

Please don't change my mouse cursor. It is unexpected; disorienting; it is unnecessary; there were probably more pressing areas to focus attention; if the project is successful at some point, you will wind up having to work on it again; and until then you will spend mental energy responding to or ignoring complaints about it.

Good luck.

lucamark a day ago

Hi brudgers, thanks for the feedback. I had the same concern, so I will change it in the next few hours. Do you want to share other feedbacks about the product itself?

brudgers 15 hours ago

I don’t have meaningful product feedback because it is not a product for me…it is not in a category of software I am likely to use.

lucamark 3 hours ago

lucamark 3 hours ago

Hi Developers, I'm Luca, the creator of Modeloop. I've spent the last 18 months building, from scratch, a model-based design tool and today I'm finally opening the Open Beta.

Modeloop is a tool designed to generate code and deploy on embedded systems. The core idea behind this product is to create a vertical solution to design, test and iterate on the model faster, leveraging the modern software practices like Git. For this reason, Modeloop avoids vendor lock-in by saving model data as readable JSON rather than proprietary formats, making model reviews significantly easier. At its core, Modeloop is conceived with a developer-first mindset, focusing on delivering an optimal user experience. This approach comes from my personal experience working in the robotics and automotive industries where I've experienced firsthand the frustration of fighting with tool configurations. The software we use should be built to accelerate innovation, not spend all day setting the right parameters to make the tool work. This is why it is engineered to prioritize developer happiness by automating the complex under-the-hood operations, resulting in a cleaner UI/UX. There is still a lot to do, though.

Modeloop supports a comprehensive library of standard blocks and also Finite State Machines (FSM) for advanced diagram modeling. Within the engine, a mathematical consistency checker runs automatically, blocking code generation if any defined contracts in the model exhibit mathematical inconsistencies.

Furthermore, Modeloop features an integrated test harness that allows developers to test their models directly within the UI, supporting MIL (Model-in-the-Loop), SIL (Software-in-the-Loop), and PIL (Processor-in-the-Loop) simulations. This built-in Testing & Validation suite accelerates the production of testing and code generation artifacts—proving that verifying model logic isn't a separate project, but an intrinsic part of the design process that speeds up the V-model workflow.

As a solo-founder project, I don't yet have all the libraries or certifications of the industry giants. There are surely some edge-case code generation bugs I haven't hunted down yet. But the core engine is solid, fast and, honestly, a joy to use. There's a lot left to polish — my roadmap for the coming months is packed with improvements. Maybe too many, haha.

But… yes, the tool is in Beta. And I'd be thrilled to hear your feedback and take your criticism, however brutal it may be — in fact, I invite you to technically tear my design choices apart.

I'll be here in the comments all day to respond, but if you'd rather, you can DM me on Instagram (@_lucamark) or via mail (lucamarkdev@modeloop.app).

Enjoy, Luca Marchionna

P.s.: For the HN community, I've prepared a promo code to unlock functionalities through the Pro Plan. Once registered, please insert the promo code HN_PRO_2026 .

fusslo 4 hours ago

stop fucking with my scroll and mouse pointer (overriding mouse sensitivity is crazy)

lucamark 3 hours ago

Got it! I fixed the mouse pointer. Is there anything else you want to share?