diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c6dda0b..8547a98 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,14 +37,25 @@ return {
 
   -- Dependencies are lazy-loaded by default unless specified otherwise.
   dependencies = {
-    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim' },
-    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope-ui-select.nvim' },
+    { 'akinsho/toggleterm.nvim' },
     { 'nvim-lua/plenary.nvim' },
     { 'folke/which-key.nvim' },
-    { 'nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter' }
+    { 'nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter' },
 
-    -- install picker based on your likeing
-    { 'akinsho/toggleterm.nvim' },
+
+    -- install picker based on your likeing, remove or ignore rest
+
+    -- telescope
+    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim' },
+    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope-ui-select.nvim' },
+
+    -- Snacks picker
+    {'folke/snacks.nvim', opts = {
+            picker = {enabled = true, ui_select = true }
+    }},
+
+    -- Mini.Pick
+    {'nvim-mini/mini.pick'},
   },
 }
 ```
@@ -55,7 +66,8 @@ return {
 vim.g.pioConfig ={
   lsp = 'clangd',           -- value: clangd | ccls 
   clangd_source = 'ccls',    -- value: ccls | compiledb, For detailed explation check :help platformio-clangd_source
-  picker_backend = 'auto',   -- value: auto | telescope | ui_select, default: auto, check :help platformio-picker
+  picker_backend = 'auto', -- value: auto | telescope | snacks | mini_pick | ui_select
+                           -- default: auto, check :help platformio-picker
   menu_key = '<leader>\\',  -- replace this menu key  to your convenience
   debug = false             -- enable debug messages
 } 
@@ -111,11 +123,23 @@ return {
   -- Dependencies are lazy-loaded by default unless specified otherwise.
   dependencies = {
     { 'akinsho/toggleterm.nvim' },
-    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim' },
-    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope-ui-select.nvim' },
     { 'nvim-lua/plenary.nvim' },
     { 'folke/which-key.nvim' },
-    { 'nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter' }
+    { 'nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter' },
+
+    -- install picker based on your likeing, remove or ignore rest
+
+    -- telescope
+    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim' },
+    { 'nvim-telescope/telescope-ui-select.nvim' },
+
+    -- Snacks picker
+    {'folke/snacks.nvim', opts = {
+            picker = {enabled = true, ui_select = true }
+    }},
+
+    -- Mini.Pick
+    {'nvim-mini/mini.pick'},
   },
 }
 ```
diff --git a/doc/platformio.txt b/doc/platformio.txt
index 82a74de..8253d3e 100644
--- a/doc/platformio.txt
+++ b/doc/platformio.txt
@@ -141,17 +141,31 @@ picker_backend                                            *platformio-picker*
 
     Allowed values:
     - `auto`
-          Default. Tries Telescope backend first. If Telescope is unavailable,
-          falls back to `vim.ui.select` backend.
+          Default. Tries backends in this order, using the first one that is
+          installed: `telescope`, then `snacks`, then `mini_pick`, then
+          `ui_select`. `ui_select` is always available since it only needs
+          Neovim's built-in `vim.ui.select`, so `auto` never fails to find
+          a backend.
 
     - `telescope`
-          Force Telescope picker backend. If Telescope backend cannot be loaded,
-          plugin falls back to `vim.ui.select` as a safety fallback.
+          Force the Telescope picker backend (requires telescope.nvim).
+
+    - `snacks`
+          Force the Snacks picker backend (requires folke/snacks.nvim with
+          its `picker` module enabled).
+
+    - `mini_pick`
+          Force the mini.pick backend (requires nvim-mini/mini.pick).
 
     - `ui_select`
           Force `vim.ui.select` backend. This works with Neovim built-in
           `vim.ui.select` or any plugin that overrides it (for example,
-          telescope-ui-select, dressing.nvim, snacks picker adapters, etc.).
+          telescope-ui-select, dressing.nvim, snacks' `ui_select` option,
+          mini.pick's `MiniPick.ui_select`, etc.).
+
+    Unlike `auto`, explicitly requesting `telescope`, `snacks`, `mini_pick`,
+    or `ui_select` does NOT fall back to another backend if the requested
+    one isn't installed—it reports an error and the picker does not open.
 
 menu_key                                                    *platformio-menu_key*
     Key prefix that opens the PlatformIO which-key menu (requires
diff --git a/lua/platformio/init.lua b/lua/platformio/init.lua
index 8f0e5bd..6ed6840 100644
--- a/lua/platformio/init.lua
+++ b/lua/platformio/init.lua
@@ -189,17 +189,22 @@ function M.setup(user_config)
         user_config.clangd_source = M.config.clangd_source
       end
     end
-    if
-      user_config.picker_backend
-      and user_config.picker_backend ~= 'auto'
-      and user_config.picker_backend ~= 'telescope'
-      and user_config.picker_backend ~= 'ui_select'
-    then
-      vim.api.nvim_echo(
-        { { 'Invalid picker backend {allowed "auto", "telescope" or "ui_select"} (default "' .. M.config.picker_backend .. '" will be used)', 'ErrorMsg' } },
-        true,
-        {}
-      )
+    local valid_picker_backends = {
+      auto = true,
+      telescope = true,
+      snacks = true,
+      mini_pick = true,
+      ui_select = true,
+    }
+    if user_config.picker_backend and not valid_picker_backends[user_config.picker_backend] then
+      vim.api.nvim_echo({
+        {
+          'Invalid picker backend {allowed "auto", "telescope", "snacks", "mini_pick" or "ui_select"} (default "'
+            .. M.config.picker_backend
+            .. '" will be used)',
+          'ErrorMsg',
+        },
+      }, true, {})
       user_config.picker_backend = M.config.picker_backend
     end
 
diff --git a/lua/platformio/pickers/init.lua b/lua/platformio/pickers/init.lua
index b9e6163..508dd0a 100644
--- a/lua/platformio/pickers/init.lua
+++ b/lua/platformio/pickers/init.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ local M = {}
 
 local config = require('platformio').config
 
+local AUTO_ORDER = { 'telescope', 'snacks', 'mini_pick', 'ui_select' }
+
 local function load_backend(name)
   local ok, backend = pcall(require, 'platformio.pickers.' .. name)
   if ok then
@@ -10,54 +12,55 @@ local function load_backend(name)
   return nil
 end
 
+-- 'auto' tries backends in order and silently falls back; an explicit backend
+-- name that isn't installed reports why and does not fall back to another one.
 local function get_backend()
   local backend_name = config.picker_backend or 'auto'
 
-  if backend_name == 'telescope' then
-    return load_backend('telescope') or load_backend('ui_select')
+  if backend_name == 'auto' then
+    for _, name in ipairs(AUTO_ORDER) do
+      local backend = load_backend(name)
+      if backend then
+        return backend
+      end
+    end
+    vim.notify('No picker backend available for PlatformIO.', vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+    return nil
   end
 
-  if backend_name == 'ui_select' then
-    return load_backend('ui_select')
+  local backend = load_backend(backend_name)
+  if not backend then
+    vim.notify(string.format('PlatformIO: picker backend "%s" is not installed.', backend_name), vim.log.levels.ERROR)
   end
-
-  return load_backend('telescope') or load_backend('ui_select')
+  return backend
 end
 
 function M.pick_board(boards, on_select)
   local backend = get_backend()
-  if not backend then
-    vim.notify('No picker backend available for PlatformIO.', vim.log.levels.ERROR)
-    return
+  if backend then
+    backend.pick_board(boards, on_select)
   end
-  backend.pick_board(boards, on_select)
 end
 
 function M.pick_framework(frameworks, on_select)
   local backend = get_backend()
-  if not backend then
-    vim.notify('No picker backend available for PlatformIO.', vim.log.levels.ERROR)
-    return
+  if backend then
+    backend.pick_framework(frameworks, on_select)
   end
-  backend.pick_framework(frameworks, on_select)
 end
 
 function M.pick_library(libraries, on_select)
   local backend = get_backend()
-  if not backend then
-    vim.notify('No picker backend available for PlatformIO.', vim.log.levels.ERROR)
-    return
+  if backend then
+    backend.pick_library(libraries, on_select)
   end
-  backend.pick_library(libraries, on_select)
 end
 
 function M.pick_terminal(terminals, on_select)
   local backend = get_backend()
-  if not backend then
-    vim.notify('No picker backend available for PlatformIO.', vim.log.levels.ERROR)
-    return
+  if backend then
+    backend.pick_terminal(terminals, on_select)
   end
-  backend.pick_terminal(terminals, on_select)
 end
 
 return M
diff --git a/lua/platformio/pickers/mini_pick.lua b/lua/platformio/pickers/mini_pick.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ecdc93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/platformio/pickers/mini_pick.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+local MiniPick = require('mini.pick')
+
+local M = {}
+
+local SEP = ' | '
+local COLUMN_NS = vim.api.nvim_create_namespace('platformio_pick_columns')
+
+local function to_items(list, label_fn)
+  local items = {}
+  for i, entry in ipairs(list) do
+    items[i] = { text = label_fn(entry), data = entry }
+  end
+  return items
+end
+
+local function pad(text, width)
+  text = text or ''
+  if #text >= width then
+    return text:sub(1, width)
+  end
+  return text .. string.rep(' ', width - #text)
+end
+
+local function framework_label(framework)
+  return framework
+end
+
+local BOARD_NAME_W, BOARD_VENDOR_W = 35, 20
+
+local function board_label(board)
+  return pad(board.name or '', BOARD_NAME_W) .. SEP .. pad(board.vendor or '', BOARD_VENDOR_W) .. SEP .. (board.platform or '')
+end
+
+local LIB_NAME_W, LIB_OWNER_W = 20, 20
+
+local function library_label(lib)
+  local owner = (lib.owner and lib.owner.username) or ''
+  return pad(lib.name or '', LIB_NAME_W) .. SEP .. pad(owner, LIB_OWNER_W) .. SEP .. (lib.description or '')
+end
+
+local function terminal_label(entry)
+  local is_hidden = vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(entry.term.bufnr) and (vim.fn.bufwinid(entry.term.bufnr) == -1)
+  return string.format('%d:%s (hidden: %s)', entry.term.id, entry.termtype, tostring(is_hidden))
+end
+
+local function data_preview(buf_id, item)
+  vim.bo[buf_id].filetype = 'lua'
+  vim.bo[buf_id].modifiable = true
+  vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(buf_id, 0, -1, false, vim.split(vim.inspect(item.data), '\n'))
+  vim.bo[buf_id].modifiable = false
+end
+
+-- Colors the two padded columns and the separators on top of mini.pick's default
+-- rendering (which still handles line text + query match highlighting).
+local function columns_show(col1_w, col2_w, hl1, hl2)
+  return function(buf_id, items, query)
+    MiniPick.default_show(buf_id, items, query)
+    vim.api.nvim_buf_clear_namespace(buf_id, COLUMN_NS, 0, -1)
+    local sep_len = #SEP
+    local col2_start = col1_w + sep_len
+    local col2_end = col2_start + col2_w
+    local opts = { hl_mode = 'combine', priority = 100 }
+    for i = 1, #items do
+      local row = i - 1
+      pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_extmark, buf_id, COLUMN_NS, row, 0, vim.tbl_extend('force', opts, { end_col = col1_w, hl_group = hl1 }))
+      pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_extmark, buf_id, COLUMN_NS, row, col1_w, vim.tbl_extend('force', opts, { end_col = col2_start, hl_group = 'Delimiter' }))
+      pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_set_extmark, buf_id, COLUMN_NS, row, col2_start, vim.tbl_extend('force', opts, { end_col = col2_end, hl_group = hl2 }))
+      pcall(
+        vim.api.nvim_buf_set_extmark,
+        buf_id,
+        COLUMN_NS,
+        row,
+        col2_end,
+        vim.tbl_extend('force', opts, { end_col = col2_end + sep_len, hl_group = 'Delimiter' })
+      )
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+local board_show = columns_show(BOARD_NAME_W, BOARD_VENDOR_W, 'Title', 'Comment')
+local library_show = columns_show(LIB_NAME_W, LIB_OWNER_W, 'Title', 'Comment')
+
+local function open_picker(items, name, on_select, preview_fn, show_fn)
+  MiniPick.start({
+    source = {
+      items = items,
+      name = name,
+      preview = preview_fn,
+      show = show_fn,
+      choose = function(item)
+        if item then
+          on_select(item.data)
+        end
+        return false
+      end,
+    },
+  })
+end
+
+function M.pick_framework(frameworks, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(frameworks, framework_label), 'Frameworks', on_select)
+end
+
+function M.pick_board(boards, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(boards, board_label), 'Boards', on_select, data_preview, board_show)
+end
+
+function M.pick_library(libraries, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(libraries, library_label), 'Libraries', on_select, data_preview, library_show)
+end
+
+function M.pick_terminal(terminals, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(terminals, terminal_label), 'PIO terminals', on_select)
+end
+
+return M
diff --git a/lua/platformio/pickers/snacks.lua b/lua/platformio/pickers/snacks.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8bd4c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/platformio/pickers/snacks.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+local Snacks = require('snacks')
+local align = Snacks.picker.util.align
+
+local M = {}
+
+local SEP = ' ▏'
+
+local function to_items(list, text_fn)
+  local items = {}
+  for i, entry in ipairs(list) do
+    items[i] = { idx = i, text = text_fn(entry), data = entry }
+  end
+  return items
+end
+
+local function plain_format(item)
+  return { { item.text } }
+end
+
+local function framework_text(framework)
+  return framework
+end
+
+local function board_text(board)
+  return string.format('%s %s %s', board.name or '', board.vendor or '', board.platform or '')
+end
+
+local function board_format(item)
+  local board = item.data
+  return {
+    { align(board.name or '', 35, { truncate = true }), 'SnacksPickerLabel' },
+    { SEP, 'SnacksPickerDelim' },
+    { align(board.vendor or '', 20, { truncate = true }), 'SnacksPickerComment' },
+    { SEP, 'SnacksPickerDelim' },
+    { board.platform or '' },
+  }
+end
+
+local function library_text(lib)
+  local owner = (lib.owner and lib.owner.username) or ''
+  return string.format('%s %s %s', lib.name or '', owner, lib.description or '')
+end
+
+local function library_format(item)
+  local lib = item.data
+  local owner = (lib.owner and lib.owner.username) or ''
+  return {
+    { align(lib.name or '', 20, { truncate = true }), 'SnacksPickerLabel' },
+    { SEP, 'SnacksPickerDelim' },
+    { align(owner, 20, { truncate = true }), 'SnacksPickerComment' },
+    { SEP, 'SnacksPickerDelim' },
+    { lib.description or '' },
+  }
+end
+
+local function terminal_text(entry)
+  local is_hidden = vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(entry.term.bufnr) and (vim.fn.bufwinid(entry.term.bufnr) == -1)
+  return string.format('%d:%s (hidden: %s)', entry.term.id, entry.termtype, tostring(is_hidden))
+end
+
+local function terminal_format(item)
+  local entry = item.data
+  local is_hidden = vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(entry.term.bufnr) and (vim.fn.bufwinid(entry.term.bufnr) == -1)
+  return {
+    { align(tostring(entry.term.id), 3, { align = 'right' }), 'SnacksPickerLabel' },
+    { SEP, 'SnacksPickerDelim' },
+    { align(entry.termtype, 8), 'SnacksPickerComment' },
+    { SEP, 'SnacksPickerDelim' },
+    { 'hidden: ' .. tostring(is_hidden) },
+  }
+end
+
+local function data_preview(ctx)
+  vim.bo[ctx.buf].filetype = 'lua'
+  vim.bo[ctx.buf].modifiable = true
+  vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(ctx.buf, 0, -1, false, vim.split(vim.inspect(ctx.item.data), '\n'))
+  vim.bo[ctx.buf].modifiable = false
+  return true
+end
+
+local function open_picker(items, title, on_select, format_fn, preview_fn, layout)
+  Snacks.picker.pick({
+    title = title,
+    items = items,
+    format = format_fn or plain_format,
+    preview = preview_fn,
+    layout = layout,
+    confirm = function(picker, item)
+      picker:close()
+      if item then
+        on_select(item.data)
+      end
+    end,
+  })
+end
+
+function M.pick_framework(frameworks, on_select)
+  -- a bare framework name has nothing worth previewing, so skip the preview pane entirely
+  open_picker(to_items(frameworks, framework_text), 'Frameworks', on_select, nil, nil, { preview = false })
+end
+
+function M.pick_board(boards, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(boards, board_text), 'Boards', on_select, board_format, data_preview)
+end
+
+function M.pick_library(libraries, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(libraries, library_text), 'Libraries', on_select, library_format, data_preview)
+end
+
+function M.pick_terminal(terminals, on_select)
+  open_picker(to_items(terminals, terminal_text), 'PIO terminals', on_select, terminal_format, data_preview)
+end
+
+return M