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?

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

To get started with free Eclipse & GCC with nRF5x this blog.  Small modules also available and works with all Nordic examples.  Alternative tool available to flash Softdevice et al equivalent to jlink nrftools it the IDAP-Link CMSIS-DAP.

[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.