Navigating the nRF Connect SDK documentation
Documentation is an essential part of using any software, and learning how to find things easily in the docs enable you to continue learning even after finishing the courses on the DevAcademy.
The homepage for all Nordic Semiconductor-related documentation is docs.nordicsemi.com.
From there, you can scroll down to Quick links and there are a few that will be relevant when developing with the nRF Connect SDK:
The general documentation page for the nRF Connect SDK and the API documentation are split into two separate pages to clearly distinguish between conceptual information and technical reference material.
Definition
- General documentation provides conceptual information, guides, and explanations specific to the nRF Connect SDK, such as libraries, samples, and applications. This documentation is intended to help users understand how to use the SDK, follow best practices, and navigate the available features.
- API documentation is generated from the code and is included with the library documentation. This serves as a technical reference for developers, detailing the functions, structures, and other programming interfaces available in the SDK.
nRF Connect SDK documentation
Recall from the previous topic that the nRF Connect SDK is organized into four main repositories that all have a separate documentation page:
- nRF Connect SDK (nrf)
- nrfxlib
- Zephyr
- MCUboot
In addition Trusted Firmware-M and Matter are also documented here, as well as the Kconfig Reference page (Kconfig search) that is also accessible from the Quick links page.
Note
nrfx is a standalone driver library that provides low-lever peripheral drivers. It is not a part of the nRF Connect SDK but is included in the documentation page for convenience.
Not to be confused with nrfxlib, which is a part of the nRF Connect SDK.
API documentation
The nRF Connect SDK documentation has the API documentation located on a separate page. Here we can see the API documentation for the main repositories in the nRF Connect SDK (nrf, nrfxlib and Zephyr).
The MCUboot API documentation is included as part of the Zephyr API page.
Kconfig search
Kconfig search allows you to search through all available Kconfigs in the nRF Connect SDK.
- Select the version of the nRF Connect SDK you are working with.
- Search for a Kconfig symbol
- The results page will pull info about the Kconfig symbol from the SDK. In the case of
CONFIG_SERIAL, it is pulling the text fromzephyr/drivers/serial/Kconfig. It also shows a list of other Kconfig symbols that selectCONFIG_SERIALby pulling from all other Kconfig symbols in the SDK. Depending on the search term, the results page can also show any dependencies (Dependencies field), default values (Defaults field), and which Kconfig symbols it selects (Selects field). Lastly, it will always show where the Kconfig is defined (Location field) and the hierarchical location of the symbol within the Kconfig menu structure (Menu path field)
Software tools
The Software tools page contains documentation for things like:
Applications in nRF Connect for Desktop: Documentation for the applications in nRF Connect for Desktop, like the Board Configurator app (for nRF91x1 DK or nRF54 Series DKs), the Programmer app (for flashing binaries to Nordic devices) or the Serial Terminal app (terminal emulator for all Nordic devices).
nRF Connect for VS Code: This is useful when wanting to learn more about the nRF Connect for VS Code user interface (for example, how to add a build configuration, how to flash an application, how to interpret the debugging view).
nRF Util: This is the command-line tool used to program Nordic devices. Even when using nRF Connect for VS Code, nRF Util is closely integrated.
