Navigating IDEs
Arm Cortex-M processors are supported by all the major IDE vendors. Some of the IDEs are Eclipse-based, some are based on a proprietary graphical user interface (GUI), and some are open source. They are available at a variety of price points and licensing business models, ranging from free to low-cost based on open source to higher-priced proprietary IDEs.
As we introduced earlier, IDEs are a complete solution for code development and debugging. The distinction between SDKs and IDEs is subtle, but differentiating between them is helpful in thinking about different groups of tools. Some (but not all) SDKs include IDEs, such as the NXP MCUXpresso SDK, which includes software libraries for your particular NXP board and also an IDE to develop on. Some SDKs do not include IDEs—for example, the Raspberry Pi Pico SDK. One definition of an IDE is a tool with a GUI that is used for editing, compiling, and debugging. The user interface (UI) takes care of calling the...