The nRF5 SDK documentation includes descriptions and other reference material to help you understand the various components of the SDK. Examples are provided for development purposes only and should always be tested with your design.
See Getting Started for instructions on how to run the provided examples.
This version of the SDK supports the following SoftDevices:
This SDK supports developing for nRF52810 on the PCA10040 board. See Developing for nRF52810 for details.
This SDK supports developing for nRF52811 on the PCA10056 board. See Developing for nRF52811 for details.
To download a copy of the SDK documentation for offline use, go to developer.nordicsemi.com.
SDK Release Notes:
nRF5 SDK v16.0.0
------------------------
Release Date: October, 2019
Highlights:
- Added support for a new chip: nRF52833
- Added support for new BLE SoftDevices version 7, as well as the new SoftDevice S113.
- Added an external Tile BLE library and a corresponding example
demonstrating the "find me" feature.
- App Timer v2 is now out of experimental and replaces the legacy App Timer
in all examples.
The following toolchains/devices have been used for testing and verification:
- ARM: MDK-ARM version 5.25
- GCC: GCC ARM Embedded 7.2018q2.update
- IAR: IAR Workbench 7.80.4
- SES: SES 4.18
*****
Note for Keil users:
Flashing or debugging nRF52833 using Keil IDE does not work out of the box.
When attempting to flash the device, Keil fails and reports "Failed to program - Cortex-M4".
For the workaround to this issue, see the following DevZone article:
https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/nordic-blog/b/blog/posts/nrf5-sdk-v-16-0-flashing-nrf52833-in-keil-uvision
*****
Note for IAR 8 users:
(Libraries for IAR 8 require wchar_t to be of size 32 bits while IAR 7 requires 16 bits).
To run a project using IAR 8, follow these intructions:
- Open the IAR project in IAR 8. The IAR workbench will automatically generate an IAR 8 compatible project file.
- If the project contains one of the precompiled libraries listed below, replace it
with the IAR 8 compatible alternative (there are no projects targeting nRF51 in this SDK).
- Save the project.
- When building the project, you might get the warning: "The header file 'cmsis_iar.h' is obsolete and should not be used. [...]".
- The problem is described in DevZone post: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/31123/iar-ewarm-8-22-1-complains-about-cmsis_iar-h
The solution is to remove all occurrences of #include <cmsis_iar.h>.
The affected libraries are:
- micro-ecc crypto:
- IAR7: Includes library located in the folder named “…_iar\…”.
- IAR8: Switch to using the library from the folder named “…_armgcc\…”.
- nrf_cc310, nrf_cc310_bl, and nrf_oberon:
- IAR7: Link to a library where “short_wchar” is part of the folder name.
- IAR8: Link to a library without “short_wchar” in part of the folder name.
- Gazell, NFC Tag, and 802.15.4:
- IAR7: Includes the library where the file name ends with “_iar”.
- IAR8: Switch to using the library with similar file name that ends with “_gcc”.
*****
Supported SoftDevices:
- S112 v7.x.x
- S113 v7.x.x
- S132 v7.x.x
- S140 v7.x.x
- S212 v6.1.x
- S312 v6.1.x
- S332 v6.1.x
- S340 v6.1.x
Supported boards:
- PCA10040
- PCA10040E (nRF52810 emulation on PCA10040)
- PCA10056
- PCA10056E (nRF52811 emulation on PCA10056)
- PCA10100 (support in selected examples)
- PCA10059 (support in selected examples)
- D52DK1 from Garmin Canada (only for ANT examples)
For other devices and boards, see the SDK documentation, section "Using
the SDK with other boards".
*** New features
*****************
** Drivers and libraries **
- nRF52833: added USB support - both USB device hardware driver and USB Device library.
- Radio Test Example: added a project for nRF52833.
** BLE**
- Added a new library GATT Queue which can be used for buffering GATT procedures when
the SoftDevice cannot process them immediately. It can be used with, for example,
Indications, Read or Write Requests etc. The queued procedure is automatically
retried when events from the SoftDevice indicate that it can be processed.
Most of the GATT Client libraries use this module.
- Added support for the new SoftDevice S113 in selected BLE examples.
- Improved Database Discovery Module design to enable multiple instances,
for example to perform independent discovery on each connection.
- BLE Interactive CLI Example: added discovery of 128-bit UUID Services and
Characteristics at the first attempt.
- Advertising Module: improved dynamic advertising data update, no additional buffer
is needed now - swap buffer was introduced within the module implementation.
- Added a new external BLE library: Tile, and a corresponding example: ble_app_tile.
The project implements proprietary GATT services for demonstrating the
"find me" feature.
The integrated modules include source code as well as a precompiled linkable library.
** DFU **
- Updated documentation with information on Secure Boot and platform architecture
security.
** NFC **
- Added support for new chip: nRF52833. Added corresponding projects in selected
examples.
** USB **
- APP_USBD_BCD_VER_MAKE macro now includes a sub-minor version parameter.
- Feature reports functionality is now supported in HID generic class.
** Proprietary **
- ESB: added support for the new chip nRF52833.
- Gazell: added support for nRF52810 and nRF52811.
** DTM **
- Updated Direct Test Mode to support nRF52833.
*** Changes
***********
** Drivers and libraries **
- app_timer: App Timer v2 moved out of experimental. It is updated and
API-compatible with the old implementation making it easy to replace.
All SDK examples using App Timer are updated to use the new version.
- libuarte:
- libuarte moved out of experimental.
- nrf_libuarte renamed to nrf_libuarte_drv (file names and API).
- Added option to use an app_timer instance for RX timeout instead of the TIMER or
RTC peripheral.
- nrf_cli: CLI now automatically adds an `\r` character before each printed `\n`
character. This feature can be switched off in sdk_config with flag
`NRF_FPRINTF_FLAG_AUTOMATIC_CR_ON_LF`.
- FDS: FDS-specific error codes have been moved so their values do not overlap with
other error codes.
Also, NRF_SUCCESS is now used instead of FDS_SUCCESS.
** Crypto **
- Updated OPTIGA Trust X library code and example.
- Updated the nrf_oberon library version to 3.0.1, changing the API prefixes from
occ_* to ocrypto_*.
** BLE **
- Peer Manager:
- Changed the pm_peer_data_* API to use uint32_t length variables instead of
uint16_t.
- The flash cleaning algorithm in peer_manager_handler now also runs garbage
collection if other users of FDS have deleted data.
- The fds_error member variable has been removed from PM events.
- Added a LESC flag to pm_conn_sec_status_t.
- Add a new function pm_sec_is_sufficient() where the security state of the
connection is checked against a reference security state.
- Function pm_sec_is_sufficient() is now used internally when responding
to slave security requests.
- pm_handler has been augmented with new event handlers based on
pm_sec_is_sufficient().
- Advertising Module: removed obsolete API.
- ble_conn_state: Added a LESC flag to connection state (i.e. whether LESC was used
for bonding/pairing). It can be false even if LESC was used.
See Peer Manager for a completely accurate reporting of LESC.
- BLE Central UART Example: added support for Windows-type line end characters.
- Running Speed and Cadence Example: added handling of the Database Discovery Available
event.
- Heart Rate Example:
- Changed default configuration for nRF52810 and nRF52811.
- Service Change Characteristic disabled.
- Disabled protection against repeated pairing attempts in Peer Manager.
- FDS: Reduced number of virtual flash pages to use.
** DFU **
- Bootloader start address is now placed in UICR at compile time, and the MBR page is
populated at runtime. This is to mitigate problems with flashing
where the MBR was erased.
- The MBR folders have been merged into a single folder since the MBR is identical for
all nRF52 variants.
- The bootloader now disallows upgrading the SoftDevice to another family
(e.g. s140 -> s113).
- nrf_bootloader_app_start() can no longer be called from an interrupt handler.
- BLE DFU: Disconnect link when aborting DFU (OP_ABORT).
- The bootloader will now wait a configurable number of milliseconds before each chip
reset. Configured with NRF_BL_RESET_DELAY_MS.
- Added a configuration option for disabling a debug port: NRF_BL_DEBUG_PORT_DISABLE.
- When the bootloader is compiled in a configuration where the app does not need access
to the settings page, the page itself, not just the backup, is locked before booting
the app.
** USB **
- USB driver: all changes listed here:
https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/nrfx/blob/v1.8.0/CHANGELOG.md
- USB libraries: APP_USBD_AUDIO_AC_IFACE_SUBTYPE_OUTPUT_TERNINAL
has been renamed to APP_USBD_AUDIO_AC_IFACE_SUBTYPE_OUTPUT_TERMINAL.
- bDescriptorSubType field in app_usbd_audio_ac_iface_header_desc_t struct
has been renamed to bDescriptorSubtype.
- bmRequest field in app_usbd_cdc_notify_t struct has been renamed to bRequest.
- bmRequest field in app_usbd_setup_t struct has been renamed to bRequest.
- New values have been added to app_usbd_msc_subclass_t and app_usbd_msc_req_t enums.
- Terminal link in AS Interface Descriptor has been added as a parameter
for the APP_USBD_AUDIO_GLOBAL_DEF macro.
*** Bug fixes
****************
** Drivers and libraries **
- FDS: fixed two bugs where a power loss at very specific times during garbage
collection could corrupt the file system, making FDS unable to initialize and return
FDS_ERR_NO_PAGES on initialization.
- FDS: fixed a bug that prevented using the last word of a flash page to save a record.
** ANT **
- Fixed a bug in ANT-FS Library, where incoming burst frames could be incorrectly
handled due to wrong bitfield checking.
** NFC **
- Fixed a bug where the Tag could respond to an ALL_REQ frame with incorrect timing when
in the sleep state.
This bug would occur after the Tag received an SLP_REQ frame and when an ALL_REQ frame
was received shortly after - in a time shorter than what was configured
in the NFCT FRAMEDELAYMAX register (in Type 4 Tag default configuration: 4.8 ms).
** BLE **
- Eddystone: fixed bug for handling 0.625 unit in advertising interval.
- Advertising Module: fixed a bug where a secondary PHY configuration might get
overwritten.
- Advertising Data Encoder: fixed a bug causing underflow of a return value
of the parsing function when malformed data was provided as input.
- Nordic UART Service: fixed a bug where incorrect Characteristic CCCD
was checked on connection event.
- Database Discovery: fixed counting of discovered services.
- Fixed a bug where "available" events (indicating the module is ready
for the next discovery process) were not triggered.
- BLE Interactive CLI Example: fixed a bug where not all
GATT Characteristics and Descriptors were discovered when a short ATT MTU was used.
- Peer Manager:
- Fixed a bug where peer ranks would not work after deleting all peers.
- Fixed a bug where the indications for service changed would be dropped
if they were sent at the same time as an MTU exchange.
** DFU **
- Fixed a bug where resuming a DFU procedure with a disconnect (but no reset)
in-between could leave the bootloader in a semi-locked state.
- Fixed an issue where write protection of the application was not applied.
*** Known Issues
****************
** General **
- The workaround for Anomaly 198 for nRF52840 SPIM3 peripheral
that has been implemented in nrfx_spim cannot be used with a SoftDevice.
Flag NRFX_SPIM3_NRF52840_ANOMALY_198_WORKAROUND_ENABLED must be set to zero.
The workaround based on a dedicated RAM block for SPIM3 must be used instead.
** BLE **
- GATTC: the ble_gattc_service_t::uuid field is incorrectly populated
in the BLE_GATTC_EVT_PRIM_SRVC_DISC_RSP event if the
sd_ble_gattc_primary_services_discover() or sd_ble_gattc_read()
are called when a Primary Service Discovery by Service UUID is already ongoing.
When the application has called sd_ble_gattc_primary_services_discover(),
it should wait for the BLE_GATTC_EVT_PRIM_SRVC_DISC_RSP event before calling
sd_ble_gattc_primary_services_discover() or sd_ble_gattc_read().
- The TFTP Background DFU example has known instabilities.
- The Tile example disconnects when notifications in the Tile service are on
and the application sends the first Battery Level notification.
- BLE Interactive CLI example: the command to set a custom ATT MTU only takes
effect on the subsequent connection and the updated MTU parameter is not
maintained in further connections with the same peer, even when bonded.
- ANT Shared Channels example: when testing BLE connection with an Android device,
the link is terminated by Android due to unhandled LL requests.
- Bluetooth ANCS example: when connected from iPhone and pressing DK buttons,
the example may assert before the BLE link is authenticated.
** Crypto **
- The nrf_crypto CLI example may fail when using ecc private key converted
from raw function for specific curve types.
** Drivers and libraries **
- The SAADC driver does not handle detection limits 'high' and 'low' correctly
if SAADC resolution is greater than 10 bits.
- USBD:
- The library may handle Remote Wakeup incorrectly.
- Issuing a SET_ADDRESS(0) request does not cause the device to change
its state to default.
- The device does not STALL when a DATA transaction is received outside of SETUP.
It ACKs instead.
** IoT **
- The MQTT example does not compile when run on PCA10040 with commissioning
enabled (COMMISSIONING_ENABLED=1).
- DTLS example: the server and the client application of the DTLS example should
not be run on two kits. Instead, either the server or the client application
should be run against the PC application as described in the documentation.