Compatibility Matrix
Which modules can combine, and which cannot coexist — the rules, in plain terms.
Attaky modules click together in a fixed pattern. This page explains, in plain terms, what attaches where and which modules can't share a build. It's the rules-level view — for the electrical detail (connectors, the shared bus, pin maps), see Frame & Connections.
The short version
A Complete Build is one Core, plus up to one Expand, up to two bottom Control modules (a keyboard and a gamepad chain together), and one Power. You can swap any of them.
What attaches where
Every build starts with a Core — the host. Around it, three optional slots:
- Expand (back) — adds a capability: a LoRa/GPS radio, a media kit (microSD + mic + speaker), or an FM/AM tuner. One at a time.
- Control (bottom) — adds physical input: a bottom keyboard, a bottom gamepad, or both. They chain along the bottom, so a build can carry up to two.
- Power (back or bottom) — supplies the battery. Without it, the Core runs on USB only.
Pick one from each category you need, flash a matching firmware, and that's a build.
The rules, in plain terms
Only one Expand at a time. The three Expand modules (LoRa/GPS, Media I/O, FM/AM Radio) all use the same host connections, so they can't run together — and an Expand has no pass-through to stack a second one behind it. Want a different capability? Swap the Expand and reflash.
A bottom Keyboard and a bottom Gamepad can be used together. Bottom Control modules chain — each passes its connection straight through to the next — so a keyboard and a gamepad can both attach along the bottom, and the Core tells them apart by their addresses. The bottom-Control chain holds up to two modules.
Check the selected Power module's connector routes. Power: Standard Cell 1.0 can attach
either directly behind the Core (board-to-board) or by a short cable to the Core's bottom—never
both at once. With the cable route, the Core's back stays free for an Expand. With the
board-to-board route, an Expand can stack behind the Power only because Standard Cell 1.0 has
a rear BTB passthrough (Core → Power → Expand). Do not assume another Power module has that
passthrough; check its datasheet.
One Core per build. The Core is the host, and there's exactly one.
Electrically possible ≠ an official build
Some combinations work electrically but aren't supported builds we ship — they have no Frame or case for them. For the combinations Attaky officially supports, see Series. If you're hand-building or hacking, the electrical detail is on Frame & Connections.
Quick reference
| Category | How many per build | Choices |
|---|---|---|
| Core | exactly 1 | the host module |
| Expand | 0 or 1 | LoRa/GPS · Media I/O · FM/AM Radio |
| Control (bottom) | 0, 1, or 2 (they chain) | Keyboard and/or Gamepad |
| Power | 0 or 1 | one connection route at a time |
Changing a module
Any of the four can be swapped — that's the point of the system. To change one without disturbing the rest, follow Swap a Module. After a swap, flash the firmware that matches the new capability.
See also
- Series — the supported builds you can buy, ready-made.
- Frame & Connections — the electrical standard, connectors, and pin maps.
- Modules — every module, by category.
- Troubleshooting — if a swapped module isn't detected.