NXP enriches developer experience with MCUXpresso productivity

7th March 2023

Kiera Sowery

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Next-gen MCUXpresso toolset streamlines software development for complex embedded applications, adding an all-new integrated development environment (IDE) to enable use of open-source projects, simplified access to specialist middleware, and hardware abstraction to enable code reuse across NXP’s broad range of MCUs.

What's new:

NXP Semiconductors introduced the MCUXpresso toolset, featuring new tools and resources that empower developers with enhanced scalability, usability and portability, making it easier and faster to develop complex embedded applications. The MCUXpresso toolset expands on existing features with IDE offerings, including a custom-built MCUXpresso extension for Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code (VS Code), open-source-based hardware abstraction for code reuse, streamlined partner code delivery using Open-CMSIS-Packs, and a Application Launch Pad for easy, interactive access to application software and documentation from NXP.

Why it matters:

The developer experience is foundational to efficient, rapid and innovative product development. Both new and experienced developers alike benefit from the flexibility to choose the software and tools that work best for their projects. By investing in open-source communities that support faster development and time to market, as well as making it easier for NXP partners to bring their specialised software to developers, NXP’s new MCUXpresso toolset offers the power of choice software developers need for rapid innovation.

More details:

“Today’s developers want more choices and open-source options rather than being locked into proprietary systems,” said Charles Dachs, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Industrial and IoT Edge, NXP. “The new MCUXpresso toolset gives developers greater flexibility and control of their journey, delivering the tools and resources they need to easily accelerate software development. By expanding access to open-source communities and simplifying integration of specialised partner software, we’re helping developers drive innovation, scale their projects, bring complex products to market faster, and easily migrate between NXP devices and platforms.”

The MCUXpresso toolset features the MCUXpresso for VS Code, designed for fast and responsive source-code editing. This IDE will enhance flexibility by expanding build system choices, including those favoured by open-source projects such as Zephyr and Matter, while maintaining support for developers using the traditional MCUXpresso SDK.

Developers also have access to existing IDE options, including MCUXpresso IDE, IAR Embedded Workbench and Arm Keil development tools. Additionally, the MCUXpresso toolset provides a comprehensive, one-stop-shop for embedded ecosystem integration.

The toolset will offer a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) that simplifies code reuse and portability within NXP’s broad microcontroller portfolio. All IDEs in the MCUXpresso ecosystem feature Open-CMSIS-Pack support for code delivery, which enables ecosystem partners to significantly streamline the product evaluation and integration process for customers, enabling developers to easily browse a collection of off-the-shelf software.

An Application Launch Pad also serves as a central repository for application design resources, including application software packs, application notes and application code examples with an intuitive portal to browse available software.