What is it KSDK?
= Kinetis Software Development Kit
Kinetis SDK v2 is a collection of comprehensive software enablement for NXP Kinetis Microcontrollers that includes:
•system startup
•peripheral drivers
•USB and connectivity stacks
•Middleware
•Real-time operating system (RTOS) kernels.
Documents – Release Note, API Reference Manual, Getting Started with KSDK, for USB – User Guide, USB Composite Device Guide, USB Device Reference Manual and USB Host Reference Manual. All these documents is possible to find at Software Development Kit for Kinetis MCUs|NXP or <ksdk_path>\SDK_2.0_selected_device\docs
KSDK Structure Diagram
KSDK Features
•ARM® and DSP standard libraries, and CMSIS-compliant device header files which provide direct access to the peripheral registers
•Open-source peripheral drivers
•Open-source RTOS wrapper driver
•Real time operation systems (RTOS) including FreeRTOS OS, μC/OS-II, and μC/OS-III
•Stacks and middleware in source or object formats including:
− CMSIS-DSP - a suite of common signal processing functions
− FatFs - a FatFile System for small embedded systems
− mmCAU - Memory-Mapped Cryptographic Acceleration Unit
− SDMMC - software component supporting SD Cards and eMMC
− DMA Manager - software component used for managing on-chip DMA channel resources
− mbedTLS and WolfSSL - cryptographic SSL/TLS libraries
− lwIP and USB Stack - a light-weight TCP/IP stack
KSDK Evolution
KSDK v1/v2 – what new features KSDK 2.0 brings
•MQX Kernel removed from KSDK -> focus on FreeRTOS
•MQX RTCS Ethernet and MFS File System Stacks -> lwIP and FatFS
•OSA, Power Manager and Clock Manager -> no longer required by the drivers
•USB Stack re-write -> BSD licensed solution
•No platform library -> single project with all needed files
•Mbed TLS now included as part of the accelerated cryptography drivers
•Eliminates separate HAL and Peripheral Driver -> single driver for each peripheral
•Processor Expert -> Kinetis Expert Tool
•Updates for KDS -> via online update tool
•Installation of KSDK -> KEX Tool (smaller download & sizes)
•KEX Tool -> pin muxing selection & generation, clock configuration, low power estimation
Simplified folder structure
KSDK highlights & benefits
•Collection of software enablement offered by free
•KSDK is fully supported in these IDE:
− Atollic® TrueSTUDIO®
− GNU toolchain for ARM® Cortex® -M with CMake build system
− IAR Embedded Workbench
− Keil™ MDK-ARM
− Kinetis Design Studio IDE
•KSDK supports most of Kinetis MCUs
•Created examples for drivers, USB, RTOS, demo applications
•Start with development without device register knowledge
Support & download
Official support of KSDK:
Kinetis Software Development Kit
Create new SR according to:
How to submit a new question for NXP Support
More about KSDK...
KSDK Official Website
Introducing Kinetis SDK v2
https://community.freescale.com/docs/DOC-329783
Kinetis SDK 2.0 Transition Guide
Kinetis SDK 2.0 Transition Guide
KSDK Community
https://community.freescale.com/community/kinetis/kinetis-software-development-kit
Let´s continue in reading! See Let´s start with FreeMASTER!
