Nios® V Processor Software Developer Handbook

ID 743810
Date 7/20/2023
Public

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3.1.1. Nios® V Processor Tools Overview

The Nios® V processor software development flow uses the Nios® V processor tools to provide a flexible, portable, and scriptable software build environment. Intel recommends that you use the Nios® V Command Shell and Ashling* RiscFree* IDE for Intel FPGA when developing the Nios® V processor software project. The Nios® V processor tools includes a command line environment and fits easily in your preferred software or system development environment.

The Nios® V processor tools provides the following tools for software development:
  • Nios® V processor — specific port of the newlib C library
  • Intel® Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
  • Nios® V processor software build tools — based on a scriptable development flow that includes the following user interfaces:
    • Nios® V processor software build tools Graphical User Interface (GUI) — Supports creating, modifying, building, running, and debugging Nios® V processor software programs. The GUI is based on the BSP Editor and the RiscFree IDE for Intel FPGAs.
    • Nios® V processor software build tools Command Line Interface (CLI) — Executes Nios® V processor build tools commands and uses scripts (or other tools) to combine the command utilities.

To use the Nios® V processor tools , you need a .qsys file for your system. The development flow includes the following steps to create a Nios® V processor software:

  1. Generate a Board Support Package (BSP) for your system.
  2. Generate and build your application software.
  3. Iterate through one or both steps until your design is complete.