Getting started with Xilinx SDK

The Xilinx® Software Development Kit (SDK) provides an environment for creating software platforms and applications targeted for Xilinx embedded processors. SDK works with hardware designs created with the Xilinx Platform Studio (XPS) embedded development tools. SDK is based on the Eclipse open source standard. SDK features include:

Feature-rich C/C++ code editor and compilation environment
Project management
Application build configuration and automatic Makefile generation
Error navigation
Well-integrated environment for seamless debugging and profiling of embedded targets
Source code version control

SDK development flow overview

The typical flow for using SDK to develop a software application for an XPS embedded system design is as follows:

In XPS, design the embedded system hardware platform.
Export the necessary files from the hardware design to SDK. For more information, see Exporting hardware specification in XPS.
Launch SDK and specify the hardware platform specification file you exported from XPS.
In SDK, create board support package projects that contain a library of routines that your application can use.
Create application projects that will capture your application source files and settings.
Develop your software application. SDK provides documentation for the embedded system and software platform (including drivers).
Use SDK linker script generation tools to modify your application's memory map.
When you are ready to test your application on the hardware target, download the hardware bitstream to the FPGA device.
Use SDK to download and run the software executable. You can also debug and profile your application.
You can design your hardware platform in parallel with software development. You can have SDK update your hardware platform specification by pointing to a different version and have SDK modify your workspace for the new hardware platform.

This product includes software developed by the Eclipse Project (http://www.eclipse.org/).