MCUXpresso SDK Documentation
Open on Repo Open an Issue
Source (.md/.rst) Page PDF (.pdf)

Command Line Development

Command Line Development#

This guide covers developing with the MCUXpresso SDK using command line tools and the west build system. This workflow applies to both GitHub Repository SDK and Repository-Layout SDK Package distributions.

Prerequisites#

  • GitHub Repository SDK workspace initialized OR Repository-Layout SDK Package extracted

  • Development tools installed per Installation Guide

  • Target board connected via USB

Understanding Board Support#

Use the west extension to discover available examples for your board:

west list_project -p examples/demo_apps/hello_world

This shows all supported build configurations. You can filter by toolchain:

west list_project -p examples/demo_apps/hello_world -t armgcc

Basic Build Commands#

Standard Build Process#

Build with default settings (armgcc toolchain, first debug config):

west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world

Specifying Build Configuration#

# Release build
west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world --config release

# Debug build with specific toolchain
west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world --toolchain iar --config debug

Multicore Applications#

For multicore devices, specify the core ID:

west build -b evkbmimxrt1170 examples/demo_apps/hello_world --toolchain iar -Dcore_id=cm7 --config flexspi_nor_debug

For multicore projects using sysbuild:

west build -b evkbmimxrt1170 --sysbuild ./examples/multicore_examples/hello_world/primary -Dcore_id=cm7 --config flexspi_nor_debug --toolchain=armgcc -p always

Shield Support#

For boards with shields:

west build -b mimxrt700evk --shield a8974 examples/issdk_examples/sensors/fxls8974cf/fxls8974cf_poll -Dcore_id=cm33_core0

Advanced Build Options#

Clean Builds#

Force a complete rebuild:

west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world -p always

Dry Run#

See what commands would be executed:

west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world --dry-run

Device Variants#

For boards supporting multiple device variants:

west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world --device MK22F12810 --config release

Project Configuration#

CMake Configuration Only#

Run configuration without building:

west build -b evkbmimxrt1170 examples/demo_apps/hello_world -Dcore_id=cm7 --cmake-only -p

Interactive Configuration#

Launch the configuration GUI:

west build -t guiconfig

Flashing and Debugging#

Flash Application#

Flash the built application to your board:

west flash -r linkserver

Debug Session#

Start a debugging session:

west debug -r linkserver

IDE Project Generation#

Generate IDE project files for traditional IDEs:

# Generate IAR project
west build -b evkbmimxrt1170 examples/demo_apps/hello_world --toolchain iar -Dcore_id=cm7 --config flexspi_nor_debug -p always -t guiproject

IDE project files are generated in mcuxsdk/build/<toolchain> folder.

Note: Ruby installation is required for IDE project generation. See Installation Guide for setup instructions.

Troubleshooting#

Build Failures#

Use pristine builds to resolve dependency issues:

west build -b your_board examples/demo_apps/hello_world -p always

Toolchain Issues#

Verify environment variables are set correctly:

# Check ARM GCC
echo $ARMGCC_DIR
arm-none-eabi-gcc --version

# Check IAR (if using)
echo $IAR_DIR

Getting Help#

Display help information:

west build -h
west flash -h
west debug -h

Check Supported Configurations#

If unsure about supported options for an example:

west list_project -p examples/demo_apps/hello_world

Best Practices#

Project Organization#

  • Keep custom projects outside the SDK tree

  • Use version control for your application code

  • Document any SDK modifications

Build Efficiency#

  • Use -p always for clean builds when troubleshooting

  • Leverage --dry-run to understand build processes

  • Use specific configs and toolchains to reduce build time

Development Workflow#

  1. Start with existing examples closest to your requirements

  2. Copy and modify rather than building from scratch

  3. Test with hello_world before moving to complex examples

  4. Use configuration tools for pin muxing and clock setup

Next Steps#

Contents