News Item

08 Feb 2016

ARM extends Keil MDK Microcontroller Tools

Cambridge, UK, Feb. 8, 2016 – ARM® Keil® MDK™ is the industry-leading standard software development solution for ARM based microcontrollers. MDK Version 5.20 extends this tool suite with support for Cortex-A processor-based catalogue devices, connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT), C language support for C++11/C++14, and the ARMv8-M architecture.

The growing offering of 32-bit Cortex-A processor-based catalogue devices is now supported with the Keil MDK Professional Edition Version 5.20 which includes DS-MDK. DS-MDK combines the Eclipse based DS-5 IDE and Debugger with CMSIS-Pack technology and uses Software Packs to extend device support. Initially the NXP i.MX series is supported that offers computing power for application-rich systems with real-time responsiveness as it combines Cortex-A and Cortex-M processor cores. For such embedded systems, the DS-5 Debugger gives visibility to multi-processor execution and allows optimization of the overall software architecture.

MDK-Professional includes middleware for USB, graphic displays, file system, and networking that is optimized for Cortex-M processors. New is the IPv4/IPv6 networking communication stack that is extended with ARM® mbed™ software components to enable Internet of Things (IoT) applications. 

MDK-Professional Version 5.20 enables software development for the new ARMv8-M architecture and includes Fixed Virtual Platform simulation models with configurations for ARMv8-M Baseline and ARMv8-M Mainline. This enables software development for the next generation Cortex-M devices that utilize ARM TrustZone® technology.

All Keil MDK Version 5.20 editions include the ARM Compiler 6 that combines LLVM compiler technology with highly optimized ARM C libraries. ARM Compiler 6 improves code performance, compatibility with GNU GCC, and supports the latest C language standards including C++11 and C++14. Developed and maintained by ARM experts, the ARM Compiler 6 has undergone exhaustive testing by ARM, our lead partners, and the community to ensure that it is stable, mature and efficient.

"With the new MDK-Professional Edition we considerably expand the scope of applications that can be created with our software development solution" said Reinhard Keil, Director of Microcontroller Tools, ARM. "Now you can use the latest C and C++ standards even for multi-core devices with the Cortex-A and Cortex-M processor cores. The MDK middleware is extended with software components for IoT and we support today software development for next generation Cortex-M devices based on ARMv8-M."

Availability: MDK Version 5.20 will be available in May 2016 and is demonstrated at Embedded World 2016 Exhibition (ARM, Hall 5, Stand 338).

About Keil MDK

Keil MDK Version 5 is the most comprehensive software development solution for Cortex processor based microcontrollers. MDK includes IDE, C/C++ compiler, debugger, Software Pack management, and CMSIS software components.

The MDK Professional Edition includes the Eclipse based DS-MDK for 32-bit Cortex-A processor based devices, middleware for networking, USB, File System, Graphic, and interfaces to several mbed components for secure communication and IoT.