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Toolchain installation

This guide shows how to install and use all required toolchains to develop for the Icarus. The toolchains will allow you to modify source code, build new firmware, and flash it to the board.

There are three ways to install the nRF Connect SDK:

Prerequisites​

Before installing the nRF Connect SDK, ensure your system meets these requirements:

The nRF Connect for VS Code extension pack is the recommended way to develop for the Icarus. It provides a modern IDE experience with integrated tools for building, debugging, and flashing applications.

Installation steps:

  1. Download and install Visual Studio Code.

  2. Open VS Code and go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X).

  3. Search for nRF Connect for VS Code Extension Pack and click Install.

  4. After installation, click on the nRF Connect icon in the left sidebar to open the Welcome view.

  5. Click Install SDK to begin the SDK installation.

  6. Select your download region (Global or Mainland China) and choose nRF Connect SDK as the SDK type.

  7. Select a version from the Pre-packaged SDKs & Toolchains category for faster installation (includes both SDK and toolchain bundled together).

  8. Wait for the installation to complete (this may take several minutes).

The SDK and toolchain will be installed to the default locations:

  • Windows: C:\ncs\
  • macOS: /opt/nordic/ncs/
  • Linux: ~/ncs/

After installation, you can manage your toolchains by clicking Install Toolchain in the Welcome view or using the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and searching for "nRF Connect: Manage Toolchains".

tip

Starting with nRF Connect SDK v3.1.0, the SDK, toolchain, and nrfutil are bundled together in pre-packaged downloads, making installation faster and simpler.

More information on the nRF Connect extension for VS Code can be found in the official documentation.

Installing using the command line (nrfutil)​

For developers who prefer command-line workflows or want to integrate with CI/CD systems, the nRF Connect SDK can be installed using nrfutil.

Installation steps:

  1. Download the latest nrfutil executable from the Nordic Semiconductor website.

  2. Move the executable to a directory in your system PATH.

  3. On macOS/Linux, grant execute permission:

    chmod +x nrfutil

  4. Install the SDK manager command:

    nrfutil install sdk-manager

  5. List available SDK versions:

    nrfutil sdk-manager search

  6. Install the SDK and toolchain:

    nrfutil sdk-manager install --ncs-version v3.2.1

  7. Launch a terminal with the toolchain environment configured:

    Windows:

    nrfutil sdk-manager toolchain launch --ncs-version v3.2.1 --terminal

    macOS / Linux:

    nrfutil sdk-manager toolchain launch --ncs-version v3.2.1 --shell
caution

Do not install nrfutil using pip — this will install an outdated version (v5.2.0). Always download the latest version from the official Nordic website.

For more nrfutil commands, run nrfutil sdk-manager --help.

Manual installation​

For advanced users who need more control over the installation or want to integrate with existing toolchains, the nRF Connect SDK can be installed manually.

This method requires setting up the Zephyr development environment and west (the Zephyr meta-tool) separately.

Prerequisites:

  1. Follow the Zephyr Getting Started Guide to set up your host system.
  2. Install west using pip: 
    pip3 install west

Installation steps:

  1. Create and navigate to your workspace directory:

    mkdir ~/ncs && cd ~/ncs

  2. Initialize west with your desired SDK version (replace v3.2.1 with your version if needed):

    west init -m https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf --mr v3.2.1

  3. Update all repositories:

    west update

  4. Export the Zephyr CMake package:

    west zephyr-export

  5. Install Python dependencies:

    pip3 install -r zephyr/scripts/requirements.txt
    pip3 install -r nrf/scripts/requirements.txt
    pip3 install -r bootloader/mcuboot/scripts/requirements.txt

  6. Install the Zephyr SDK for your platform.

  7. Set up environment variables by running:

    Windows:

    zephyr\zephyr-env.cmd

    macOS / Linux:

    source zephyr/zephyr-env.sh

For VS Code integration with a manual installation, install the nRF Connect for VS Code Extension Pack and configure it to use your SDK location.

Choosing an SDK version​

We recommend using the latest stable nRF Connect SDK version for all Icarus boards v2.0 and newer.

For detailed compatibility information, check the nRF9160 SDK compatibility matrix.

What's next:

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