[timenova]

Hence they made the Pico Debug Probe [0]. It makes it super easy to reflash firmware to the Pico in a quick iterative loop.

However, the appeal of mounting as a mass storage device is not for iterative development (as you mentioned). Invariably something breaks, and the easiest way to get back on track is to reflash their default blank firmware using the mass storage interface.

[0] https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/debug-probe/

[seba_dos1]

I can use things like dfu-util or esptool for quick iterative loops without any additional hardware. Hence my point - mass storage is a downgrade over what other µCs on the market were already doing with their ROM bootloaders before RP2040.

[moefh]

Just to note: with the RP2040 you don't need additional hardware (debug probe) for quick iterative development, you can use picotool[1] (using -f allows you to flash and reboot without needing to get it to bootsel mode).

[1] https://github.com/raspberrypi/picotool