Embedded developers have long struggled with SDKs tightly coupled to bloated IDEs, which are difficult to version control and nearly impossible to integrate cleanly into CI/CD pipelines. Building and debugging firmware often meant fighting against the tools rather than focusing on the application.
NXP’s new MCUXpresso SDK changes that. Designed around modern tools like west, CMake, Ninja, and Python, and fully supported in Visual Studio Code, this SDK finally brings scalable and scriptable workflows to NXP microcontroller development.
In this session, we’ll walk through setting up the MCUXpresso SDK, explore the new west-based structure, and demonstrate how to build, flash, and debug applications using the VS Code extension and command-line tools for the MCX N947 MCUs.
We’ll also touch on containerizing your build environment and integrating the SDK so your CI/CD pipeline is ready for streamlined, reproducible development.
Topics Covered:
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An introduction to west and modern software development workflows
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Installing the MCUXpresso SDK and required toolchains
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Managing SDK components and dependencies with west
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Importing, building, and deploying projects with Visual Studio Code and CLI
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Setting up containers and preparing your SDK for CI/CD integration AI agents are and how they apply to embedded systems
You’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to get started with the MCUXpresso SDK and how to use it to modernize your firmware development workflow.
