Have a look at Pixelblaze. It's a subset of JS on an ESP32 with no compilation - you code in a web browser and the LEDs just render live. I've done plenty of Ar

Have a look at Pixelblaze. It's a subset of JS on an ESP32 with no compilation - you code in a web browser and the LEDs just render live. I've done plenty of Arduino; this sidesteps the mundane getting-started knowledge base. This $6 37-LED mini hexagonal board is a fun starting point, cheaper than most strips and matrices: https://shop.m5stack.com/products/hex-rgb-led-board-sk6812 https://shop.m5stack.com/products/hex-rgb-led-board-sk6812