Where to start with nRF52832

[turkeylegs]

Hi, I'm kind of a newbie, haven't had much experience with embedded outside of arduinos etc.

So I started to look at this: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/nrf52832-breakout-board-hookup-guide

From sparkfun, since you can hook it up to a breadboard. The goal is somewhere down the line to get a smaller SMD module to put on a PCB.

I have a few questions:

1. Most of the way down, it says to get a nrf52 development kit. Why is this necessary?

2. I understand the DK has a NRF52832 already on board. So what exactly is the point of the breakout board if you need to get the DK anyway?

3. Is it possible to follow this http://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v15.0.0%2Fgetting_started_installing.html and use the SDK without the development kit? Or will I inevitably need to use the development kit?

[Andre]

The DK is basically a nRF52832 breakout, with some leds and buttons, and a SWD Debugger (Segger J-Link OB) integrated. The tools Nordic provices, such as nRF Go Studio, has integration with Segger debuggers to flash the chips.

If you have some SWD Debugger already, you can just use it with your breakout. You can use the SDK without the DK. But to run the examples, you need to hook up your own buttons and leds. When you use OpenOCD, you'll need to build the latest git version, as the current release version 0.10 is rather old and has no nRF52 support yet. A st-link dongle will work fine with OpenOCD to work with the nRF52.

So, basically, you don't *need* a DK, but the DK has the nRF52 and the debugger on board, wich makes it easier to get started, plug in the usb cable and go. When you use a breakout, you need to have your own debugger and hook it up.

Regarding SMD modules, perhaps something like this? www.cdebyte.com/.../product-view-news.aspx

[turkeylegs]

Also, will all the tools provided by Nordic work with an st-link? Or would a j-link be better?

The reason I asked is because you mentioned was "The tools Nordic provices, such as nRF Go Studio, has integration with Segger debuggers to flash the chips" but you didn't mention the st-link

[Andre]

To use the examples from Nordic, you'll have to add some leds and buttons to the same pins as they would be on the nordic board. Furthermore, there are no DCDC components. I'm not sure if any of the examples enable DCDC mode (if so, probably some low-power related examples) 

To use the tools provided by Nordic, you'll need a J-Link. ST-Link only works with OpenOCD. So, if you would like to use those tools, you'll need a segger debugger.