MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00 on GitHub: Advancing Wireless Development

The release of MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00 on GitHub marks a significant step forward for developers working with NXP’s wireless microcontrollers, such as RW61x and MCX W, and software platforms. The latest SDK version introduces notable improvements aimed at accelerating product development, enhancing code visibility, and leveraging efficiencies through modern open-source tools.

Increased Velocity of Updates

The timeline for developing wireless products is often affected by multiple factors, including finalizing product architecture, adhering to regulatory standards (e.g., FCC, CE, IDED, ISA/IEC 62443), and adapting to updates in specifications such as Matter, Bluetooth, or 802.11. The MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00 addresses these challenges by ensuring faster and more flexible updates.

Quarterly Releases

NXP delivers production-ready software updates every quarter, incorporating the most critical requirements based on developer feedback.

Early Access Previews

Developers gain access to preview tags on GitHub in the two months leading up to a release. This allows them to evaluate planned features and patches, enabling early adaptation to new code.

Streamlined Change Management

Developers can better track and integrate updates, minimizing disruptions caused by external factors like regulatory or standard changes.

Enhanced Visibility of Code Changes

Managing embedded wireless software often involves navigating a complex codebase with frequent changes. With the latest SDK, developers benefit from

• Detailed Change Tracking: Commit messages and difference reports provide insights into the reasons behind code changes and their potential impact on projects
• Unified Middleware and Driver Versions: The 24.12.00 release aligns the middleware for NXP’s broad wireless portfolio under one SDK version. This convergence simplifies cross-platform development by ensuring consistent versions for drivers and middleware such as mbedTLS, LVGL, and lwIP.

This consistency reduces the risk of inconsistencies across wireless standards and enhances developers’ confidence when working on multiple platforms simultaneously.

Efficiencies with Open-Source Tools

The MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00 on GitHub fully integrates with modern tools like Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and leverages advanced features from the Zephyr Project’s West tools.

VS Code Integration:

• Streamlined IDE: The MCUXpresso for VS Code extension simplifies workspace setup, SDK import, and example project integration
• Unified Tooling: Developers working with standards like Matter, Zephyr, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee can manage projects within a single environment. There’s no need for separate toolchains, as the MCUXpresso Installer ensures consistent setups across platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Effortless Version Control: GitHub integration within VS Code provides easy branch updates, commit reviews, and visualization of differences, all via an intuitive interface

West Tool Integration:

• Centralized Manifest Management: The SDK’s west manifest file allows developers to customize the scope of the SDK for their specific project needs, whether that involves selecting a single platform or excluding unnecessary middleware
• Streamlined Collaboration: Shared west manifests enable software teams to synchronize environments and installations effortlessly
• Powerful Command-Line Tools: Popular commands such as west build, west flash, and west debug are supported, making evaluation and debugging efficient

Why Choose MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00?

By addressing challenges in wireless product development, the MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00 empowers developers to:

• Accelerate product timelines with quarterly releases and preview features
• Simplify code management with detailed visibility into changes
• Increase productivity with integrated tools that support multiple wireless standards in one environment

Get Started Today

Discover the benefits of the MCUXpresso SDK 24.12.00 and begin your evaluation to elevate your wireless development projects:

• Visit the GitHub repository: NXP MCUXpresso SDK Manifests
• Explore detailed documentation: MCUXpresso SDK Documentation

Author | Kyle Dando

Kyle Dando is passionate about helping engineers learn how to use the tools required for their embedded designs. At NXP, Kyle is focused on improving the ways that enablement software is delivered. He is working with the wireless team to simplify how developers get started with NXP wireless microcontrollers. He holds Computer and Electrical Engineering degrees from Purdue University and Santa Clara University. His work experience includes hardware and software design, and teaching countless customer events on various embedded design tools.