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

Development Tools Installation

Development Tools Installation#

This guide explains how to install the essential tools for development with the MCUXpresso SDK.

Manual Installation#

If you prefer to install tools manually or need specific versions, follow these steps:

Essential Tools#

Git - Version Control#

What it does: Manages code versions and downloads SDK repositories from GitHub.

Installation:

  • Visit git-scm.com

  • Download for your operating system

  • Run installer with default settings

  • Important: Make sure “Add Git to PATH” is selected during installation

Setup:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "youremail@example.com"

Python - Scripting Environment#

What it does: Runs build scripts and SDK tools.

Installation:

  • Install Python 3.10 or newer from python.org

  • Important: Check “Add Python to PATH” during installation

West - SDK Management Tool#

What it does: Manages SDK repositories and provides build commands. The west tool is developed by the Zephyr project for managing multiple repositories.

Installation:

pip install -U west

Minimum version: 1.2.0 or newer

Build System Tools#

CMake - Build Configuration#

What it does: Configures how your projects are built.

Recommended version: 3.30.0 or newer

Installation:

  • Windows: Download .msi installer from cmake.org/download

  • Linux: Use package manager or download from cmake.org

  • macOS: Use Homebrew (brew install cmake) or download from cmake.org

Ninja - Fast Build System#

What it does: Compiles your code quickly.

Minimum version: 1.12.1 or newer

Installation:

  • Windows: Usually included, or download from ninja-build.org

  • Linux: sudo apt install ninja-build or download binary

  • macOS: brew install ninja or download binary

Ruby - IDE Project Generation (Optional)#

What it does: Generates project files for IDEs like IAR and Keil.

When needed: Only if you want to use traditional IDEs instead of VS Code.

Installation: Follow the Ruby environment setup guide

Compiler Toolchains#

Choose and install the compiler toolchain you want to use:

Toolchain

Best For

Download Link

Environment Variable

ARM GCC (Recommended)

Most users, free

ARM GNU Toolchain

ARMGCC_DIR

IAR EWARM

Professional development

IAR Systems

IAR_DIR

Keil MDK

ARM ecosystem

ARM Developer

MDK_DIR

ARM Compiler

Advanced optimization

ARM Developer

ARMCLANG_DIR

Setting Up Environment Variables#

After toolchain installation, set an environment variable so the build system locates it:

Windows:

# Example for ARM GCC installed in C:\armgcc
setx ARMGCC_DIR "C:\armgcc"

Linux/macOS:

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export ARMGCC_DIR="/usr"  # or your installation path

Verify Your Installation#

After installation, verify everything works by opening a terminal/command prompt and running these commands:

# Check each tool - you should see version numbers
git --version
python --version  
west --version
cmake --version
ninja --version
arm-none-eabi-gcc --version  # (if using ARM GCC)

Troubleshooting Installation Issues#

“Command not found” errors:

  • The tool isn’t in your system PATH

  • Solution: Add the installation directory to your PATH environment variable

Python/pip issues:

  • Try using python3 and pip3 instead of python and pip

  • On Windows, run the Command Prompt as an Administrator

Slow downloads:

  • Add timeout option: pip install -U west --default-timeout=1000

  • Use alternative mirror: pip install -U west -i https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple

Contents