Choosing SDK version

[devops]

Hello,

I have just started out looking into BLE and have read various articles and a book about the protocol itself. I have got a NRF52DK board and am working on a project, which was previously made on SDK11, S132 v2.0.0.

I am tying to implement all the old features in this new project, and started out with SDK15, S132 v6.0.0 but I am having very hard time to implement anything because whenever I look something up in the forums, the examples are on different SDK's and what worked for somebody else, does not work in future versions because it seems to me that the API functions are forever changing from version to version...

Can you suggest me a SDK and SoftDevice version? Is it worth going through the hustle implementing things on SDK15? Is SDK11 deprecated?

And what about IDE? I started out with Keil for the first days and found it overwhelming to work with... switched over to SES and havent looked back since (except when I look into project files from previous SDKs, then I look them with uVision). How is the Segger Studio reputation in the industry? Are people using it?

Nordic, could you please update your tutorials and make the development for a total beginner a bit easier and your API versions compatible with the future versions - that is the elementary thing in software development!

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

We aim to keep the API consistent for all SDK releases with the same version number, but you are right that there has usually been substantial API changes between SDK versions. As you point out, migrating from SDK 11 to SDK 15 is time consuming, and depending on your project you may actually save time by starting off with a SDK 15 example, and gradually copy in parts of your SDK 11 application, adaption to the API changes as you go along.

When choosing whether you should migrate your application to a new SDK or not I would say that you should ask yourself whether you need any of the features or fixes in newer SDKs. If yes, then you should probably migrate. If not, then you may be better off staying with the application you have using an older SDK. You should note though that Nordic generally does not provide fixes for older SDK's, so you may want to make some adjustments in any case. Particularly, you should update to S132 version 2.0.1, and you should update the LESC handling if your application uses it.

For new projects I recommend that you always start with the latest and grates SDK version.