The Zephyr SDK is a set of build tools for building Zephyr applications. It includes GCC and CMake, and each Zephyr release is tied to a specific Zephyr SDK version. This version is noted in the SDK_VERSION file in the Zephyr repository. Using the recommended Zephyr SDK version is important—mismatched versions can cause build errors.
For example, Zephyr v4.1 specifies Zephyr SDK v0.17.0. If you use Zephyr SDK v0.17.2 (meant for Zephyr v4.2) with Zephyr v4.1, you’ll encounter build errors. If you need to build apps for Zephyr v4.1, install Zephyr SDK v0.17.0.
You can install multiple Zephyr SDK versions and switch between them at build time (see instructions below).
Full vs. Minimal Install
- Full Install: Includes all toolchains for every supported SoC architecture. Recommended for beginners but requires more disk space and download time.
- Minimal Install: Lets you choose only the toolchains you need. Saves space and time.
For Minimal install, run the setup.cmd script to select which tools to install. On NXP boards, select:
- Register Zephyr SDK CMake package
- Install host tools
aarch64-zephyr-elf(64-bit ARM)arm-zephyr-eabi(32-bit ARM, including NXP MCUs)- optional
xtensa-nxp…(Cadence Tensilica DSP cores)
Installing Zephyr SDK
These steps cover installing the Zephyr SDK using the MCUXpresso Installer, West from CLI, or manual download.
Installing with MCUXpresso Installer
The MCUXpresso Installer started supporting packs for Zephyr with Zephyr v4.2. Each pack installs the matching Zephyr SDK version (e.g., v4.2 pack installs SDK v0.17.2). This option Installs a minimal set of tools for NXP development.
The MCUXpresso Installer does not support older Zephyr SDK versions. For v0.17.1 or earlier, use West or manual install.
Installing with West CLI
- Zephyr Project added Zephyr SDK installation to West.
- For CLI, Activate your Python Virtual Environment, then run:
west sdk install --version 0.17.0
- If
--versionis omitted, West uses the version in the SDK_VERSION file of the Zephyr repo. - By default, installs the Full package. For minimal, add
-i.
Installing by Manual Download
- Download the Zephyr SDK from the https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/sdk-ng/releases.
- Choose Full or Minimal for your host OS.
- Extract to your user folder (default location for West and MCUXpresso):
- Windows:
C:\Users\<username>\zephyr-sdk-0.17.0 - Ubuntu:
/home/<username>/zephyr-sdk-0.17.0
- Windows:
Selecting Zephyr SDK Version
Multiple Zephyr SDK versions can coexist. West uses the latest by default, but you can override it:
- VS Code: When importing examples, select the Zephyr SDK version in the wizard.
- CLI: Set the environment variable
ZEPHYR_SDK_INSTALL_DIRbefore building. This command sets that variable in Ubuntu:
