here are the rough steps for building CircuitPython for the ESP32-S3 N8R8 devkit board:

git clone git@github.com:kmatch98/circuitpython.git

cd circuitpyton

git checkout esp32s3_dotclockdisplay

make fetch-submodules

# Also I had to do this, I’m not sure which step.

git submodule update --init --recursive

cd ports/espressif

# Note: When I get here, the esp-idf directory is created, but empty.

git clone git@github.com:kmatch98/esp-idf.git

git checkout rgb_add

cd ports/espressif/esp-idf

. ./export.sh

cd ..   # move up to ports/espressif folder

make BOARD=espressif_esp32s3_devkitc_1_n8r8

I got this error:

ninja: Entering directory `build-espressif_esp32s3_devkitc_1_n8r8/esp-idf'

ninja: error: '../../esp-idf/components/esp_lcd/linker.lf', needed by 'esp-idf/esp_system/ld/sections.ld', missing and no known rule to make it

# So I had to copy over this linker.lf file from the repo to circuitpython/ports/espressif/esp-idf/components/esp_lcd:

[mapping:esp_lcd]

archive: libesp_lcd.a

entries:

    if LCD_RGB_ISR_IRAM_SAFE = y:

        esp_lcd_common: lcd_com_mount_dma_data (noflash)

        esp_lcd_rgb_panel: lcd_rgb_panel_start_transmission (noflash)

# Then I reran: 

make BOARD=espressif_esp32s3_devkitc_1_n8r8

pip install esptool

# Then I had to hold BOOT, tap RESET, release BOOT:

python3 -m esptool --chip esp32s3 write_flash 0x0 build-espressif_esp32s3_devkitc_1_n8r8/firmware.bin