NodeMCU was created shortly after the ESP8266 came out, Espressif Systems began production of the ESP8266 which is a low-cost Wi-Fi microchip in 2013.
The ESP8266 is a low-cost Wi-Fi microchip, with a full TCP/IP stack and microcontroller capability, produced by Espressif Systems in Shanghai, China. On December 30, 2013, Espressif Systems began production of the ESP8266. NodeMCU was created shortly after the ESP8266 came out. 
