Downloadable Tools

ESP-IDF build process relies on a number of tools: cross-compiler toolchains, CMake build system, and others.

Installing the tools using an OS-specific package manager (like apt, yum, brew, etc.) is the preferred method when the required version of the tool is available. This recommendation is reflected in the Getting Started guide. For example, on Linux and macOS it is recommended to install CMake using an OS package manager.

However, some of the tools are IDF-specific and are not available in OS package repositories. Furthermore, different versions of ESP-IDF require different versions of the tools to operate correctly. To solve these two problems, ESP-IDF provides a set of scripts for downloading and installing the correct versions of tools, and exposing them in the environment.

The rest of the document refers to these downloadable tools simply as “tools”. Other kinds of tools used in ESP-IDF are:

  • Python scripts bundled with ESP-IDF (such as idf.py)

  • Python packages installed from PyPI.

The following sections explain the installation method, and provide the list of tools installed on each platform.

注解

This document is provided for advanced users who need to customize their installation, users who wish to understand the installation process, and ESP-IDF developers.

If you are looking for instructions on how to install the tools, see the Getting Started Guide.

Tools metadata file

The list of tools and tool versions required for each platform is located in tools/tools.json. The schema of this file is defined by tools/tools_schema.json.

This file is used by tools/idf_tools.py script when installing the tools or setting up the environment variables.

Tools installation directory

IDF_TOOLS_PATH environment variable specifies the location where the tools are to be downloaded and installed. If not set, IDF_TOOLS_PATH defaults to HOME/.espressif on Linux and macOS, and %USER_PROFILE%\.espressif on Windows.

Inside IDF_TOOLS_PATH, the scripts performing tools installation create the following directories:

  • dist — where the archives of the tools are downloaded.

  • tools — where the tools are extracted. The tools are extracted into subdirectories: tools/TOOL_NAME/VERSION/. This arrangement allows different versions of tools to be installed side by side.

idf_tools.py script

tools/idf_tools.py script bundled with ESP-IDF performs several functions:

  • install: Download the tool into ${IDF_TOOLS_PATH}/dist directory, extract it into ${IDF_TOOLS_PATH}/tools/TOOL_NAME/VERSION.

    install command accepts the list of tools to install, in TOOL_NAME or TOOL_NAME@VERSION format. If all is given, all the tools (required and optional ones) are installed. If no argument or required is given, only the required tools are installed.

  • download: Similar to install but doesn’t extract the tools. An optional --platform argument may be used to download the tools for the specific platform.

  • export: Lists the environment variables which need to be set to use the installed tools. For most of the tools, setting PATH environment variable is sufficient, but some tools require extra environment variables.

    The environment variables can be listed in either of shell or key-value formats, set by --format parameter:

    • shell produces output suitable for evaluation in the shell. For example,

      export PATH="/home/user/.espressif/tools/tool/v1.0.0/bin:$PATH"
      

      on Linux and macOS, and

      set "PATH=C:\Users\user\.espressif\tools\v1.0.0\bin;%PATH%"
      

      on Windows.

      注解

      Exporting environment variables in Powershell format is not supported at the moment. key-value format may be used instead.

      The output of this command may be used to update the environment variables, if the shell supports this. For example:

      eval $($IDF_PATH/tools/idf_tools.py export)
      
    • key-value produces output in VARIABLE=VALUE format, suitable for parsing by other scripts:

      PATH=/home/user/.espressif/tools/tool/v1.0.0:$PATH
      

      Note that the script consuming this output has to perform expansion of $VAR or %VAR% patterns found in the output.

  • list: Lists the known versions of the tools, and indicates which ones are installed.

  • check: For each tool, checks whether the tool is available in the system path and in IDF_TOOLS_PATH.

Install scripts

Shell-specific user-facing scripts are provided in the root of ESP-IDF repository to facilitate tools installation. These are:

  • install.bat for Windows Command Prompt

  • install.ps1 for Powershell

  • install.sh for Bash

Aside from downloading and installing the tools into IDF_TOOLS_PATH, these scripts prepare a Python virtual environment, and install the required packages into that environment.

Export scripts

Since the installed tools are not permanently added into the user or system PATH environment variable, an extra step is required to use them in the command line. The following scripts modify the environment variables in the current shell to make the correct versions of the tools available:

  • export.bat for Windows Command Prompt

  • export.ps1 for Powershell

  • export.sh for Bash

注解

To modify the shell environment in Bash, export.sh must be “sourced”: . ./export.sh (note the leading dot and space).

export.sh may be used with shells other than Bash (such as zsh). However in this case the IDF_PATH environment variable must be set before running the script. When used in Bash, the script will guess the IDF_PATH value from its own location.

In addition to calling idf_tools.py, these scripts list the directories which have been added to the PATH.

Other installation methods

Depending on the environment, more user-friendly wrappers for idf_tools.py are provided:

  • IDF Tools installer for Windows can download and install the tools. Internally the installer uses idf_tools.py.

  • Eclipse plugin for ESP-IDF includes a menu item to set up the tools. Internally the plugin calls idf_tools.py.

  • Visual Studio Code extension for ESP-IDF includes an onboarding flow. This flow helps setting up the tools. Although the extension does not rely on idf_tools.py, the same installation method is used.

Custom installation

Although the methods above are recommended for ESP-IDF users, they are not a must for building ESP-IDF applications. ESP-IDF build system expects that all the necessary tools are installed somewhere, and made available in the PATH.

List of IDF Tools

xtensa-esp32-elf

Toolchain for Xtensa (ESP32) based on GCC

License: GPL-3.0-with-GCC-exception

More info: https://github.com/espressif/crosstool-NG

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-linux-amd64.tar.gz

SHA256: 6c73b9e9d252810a63ca5e94b497c6c09fb8c903fe9c477f385bdc2ab4d2187e

linux-armel

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-linux-armel.tar.gz

SHA256: 51dd318c4f2ac1fe2b206d029e1d2080c922107cc56e4a3802b1acafd7b436db

linux-i686

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-linux-i686.tar.gz

SHA256: a003c7bc9b9f0dd82170480aadd62c0586fc6e3d69119c637c957125164f40e5

macos

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-macos.tar.gz

SHA256: 48b288e3e5c60623851616bf545b8e4fc5382dc980d6b9682373f11013fe5776

win32

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-win32.zip

SHA256: f2ba6bdb1c4b2178955e5e7a204552bb754709e02eaf9d8febe770d46629db8f

win64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-win64.zip

SHA256: 036ae8c737e7a4ced7121881f10747cf7b18914648ef611c78b3d543a0f00d8f

xtensa-esp32s2-elf

Toolchain for Xtensa (ESP32-S2) based on GCC

License: GPL-3.0-with-GCC-exception

More info: https://github.com/espressif/crosstool-NG

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-linux-amd64.tar.gz

SHA256: f5efd18a96f773b73bd6bcdee4476b5e4fbccea6befe0cb62c08675e4c68a65f

linux-armel

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-linux-armel.tar.gz

SHA256: 40ed8c365a3e32643c7fc9cf44908fb166d3acc52754ebf0b03e82122a0ecd2c

linux-i686

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-linux-i686.tar.gz

SHA256: 53e8b9d38c409a207685b615924eada2ee9719ac4fe8c79caa7a89c788a65a7d

macos

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-macos.tar.gz

SHA256: 76d17b170e667b73dbb013e8efa8032b18d9e68f6e364745639e851d99ad68a3

win32

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-win32.zip

SHA256: e7fe06fc37f1046765653ec1ed571f06a86a5b5cde7b3a0ab71c44232c5b6a2f

win64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc8_2_0-esp-2020r2-win64.zip

SHA256: 56b450ab9fa6c10e2d7defbf903af9c1594e9b86fece89faf5071d6461e07111

esp32ulp-elf

Toolchain for ESP32 ULP coprocessor

License: GPL-2.0-or-later

More info: https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32ulp-linux-amd64-2.28.51-esp-20191205.tar.gz

SHA256: 3016c4fc551181175bd9979869bc1d1f28fa8efa25a0e29ad7f833fca4bc03d7

linux-armel

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32ulp-linux-armel-2.28.51-esp-20191205.tar.gz

SHA256: 88967c086a6e71834282d9ae05841ee74dae1815f27807b25cdd3f7775a47101

macos

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32ulp-macos-2.28.51-esp-20191205.tar.gz

SHA256: a35d9e7a0445247c7fc9dccd3fbc35682f0fafc28beeb10c94b59466317190c4

win32

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32ulp-win32-2.28.51-esp-20191205.zip

SHA256: bade309353a9f0a4e5cc03bfe84845e33205f05502c4b199195e871ded271ab5

win64

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32ulp-win32-2.28.51-esp-20191205.zip

SHA256: bade309353a9f0a4e5cc03bfe84845e33205f05502c4b199195e871ded271ab5

esp32s2ulp-elf

Toolchain for ESP32-S2 ULP coprocessor

License: GPL-2.0-or-later

More info: https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32s2ulp-linux-amd64-2.28.51-esp-20191205.tar.gz

SHA256: df7b2ff6c7c718a7cbe3b4b6dbcd68180d835d164d1913bc4698fd3781b9a466

linux-armel

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32s2ulp-linux-armel-2.28.51-esp-20191205.tar.gz

SHA256: 893b213c8f716d455a6efb2b08b6cf1bc34d08b78ee19c31e82ac44b1b45417e

macos

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32s2ulp-macos-2.28.51-esp-20191205.tar.gz

SHA256: 5a9bb678a5246638cbda303f523d9bb8121a9a24dc01ecb22c21c46c41184155

win32

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32s2ulp-win32-2.28.51-esp-20191205.zip

SHA256: 587de59fbb469a39f96168ae3eaa9f06b2601e6e0543c87eaf1bd97f23e5c4ca

win64

required

https://github.com/espressif/binutils-esp32ulp/releases/download/v2.28.51-esp-20191205/binutils-esp32s2ulp-win32-2.28.51-esp-20191205.zip

SHA256: 587de59fbb469a39f96168ae3eaa9f06b2601e6e0543c87eaf1bd97f23e5c4ca

cmake

CMake build system

On Linux and macOS, it is recommended to install CMake using the OS package manager. However, for convenience it is possible to install CMake using idf_tools.py along with the other tools.

License: BSD-3-Clause

More info: https://github.com/Kitware/CMake

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

optional

https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.16.4/cmake-3.16.4-Linux-x86_64.tar.gz

SHA256: 12a577aa04b6639766ae908f33cf70baefc11ac4499b8b1c8812d99f05fb6a02

macos

optional

https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.16.4/cmake-3.16.4-Darwin-x86_64.tar.gz

SHA256: f60e0ef96da48725cd8da7d6abe83cd9501167aa51625c90dd4d31081a631279

win32

required

https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.16.4/cmake-3.16.4-win64-x64.zip

SHA256: f37963bcfcebdfe5864926a3623f6c21220c35790c39cd65e64bd521cbb39c55

win64

required

https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.16.4/cmake-3.16.4-win64-x64.zip

SHA256: f37963bcfcebdfe5864926a3623f6c21220c35790c39cd65e64bd521cbb39c55

openocd-esp32

OpenOCD for ESP32

License: GPL-2.0-only

More info: https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

required

https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32/releases/download/v0.10.0-esp32-20200420/openocd-esp32-linux64-0.10.0-esp32-20200420.tar.gz

SHA256: 55755f03ed76cbd2fddb4bc2d85327b95e1a5c728bfacb77af08bf26e65a3628

linux-armel

required

https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32/releases/download/v0.10.0-esp32-20200420/openocd-esp32-armel-0.10.0-esp32-20200420.tar.gz

SHA256: dbe2f78be0f15c5e5ff9ac9e445c9cf6a9a6be31f0038c4e1822960fcd8ad615

macos

required

https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32/releases/download/v0.10.0-esp32-20200420/openocd-esp32-macos-0.10.0-esp32-20200420.tar.gz

SHA256: a5bb0389e355c58f593a460aea2e41f0c07f9f1bb2bc08101914bb37017271c9

win32

required

https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32/releases/download/v0.10.0-esp32-20200420/openocd-esp32-win32-0.10.0-esp32-20200420.zip

SHA256: 3d13feca3e7e16b8442069aec8267e6bf12de489a29647df760a1da6c33d7f2e

win64

required

https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32/releases/download/v0.10.0-esp32-20200420/openocd-esp32-win32-0.10.0-esp32-20200420.zip

SHA256: 3d13feca3e7e16b8442069aec8267e6bf12de489a29647df760a1da6c33d7f2e

ninja

Ninja build system

On Linux and macOS, it is recommended to install ninja using the OS package manager. However, for convenience it is possible to install ninja using idf_tools.py along with the other tools.

License: Apache-2.0

More info: https://github.com/ninja-build/ninja

Platform

Required

Download

linux-amd64

optional

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/ninja-1.10.0-linux64.tar.gz

SHA256: 4b2ad65db438595813b981db921f675f5c775c302b34dc85710ffddf07ec9033

macos

optional

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/ninja-1.10.0-osx.tar.gz

SHA256: 6cd22e2c5fc654282d26b485d9b3d68e242b09a22c2e73a253f2a4a7cfd6774c

win64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/ninja-1.10.0-win64.zip

SHA256: 919fd158c16bf135e8a850bb4046ec1ce28a7439ee08b977cd0b7f6b3463d178

idf-exe

IDF wrapper tool for Windows

License: Apache-2.0

More info: tools/windows/idf_exe

Platform

Required

Download

win32

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/idf-exe-v1.0.1.zip

SHA256: 53eb6aaaf034cc7ed1a97d5c577afa0f99815b7793905e9408e74012d357d04a

win64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/idf-exe-v1.0.1.zip

SHA256: 53eb6aaaf034cc7ed1a97d5c577afa0f99815b7793905e9408e74012d357d04a

ccache

Ccache (compiler cache)

License: GPL-3.0-or-later

More info: https://github.com/ccache/ccache

Platform

Required

Download

win64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/ccache-3.7-w64.zip

SHA256: 37e833f3f354f1145503533e776c1bd44ec2e77ff8a2476a1d2039b0b10c78d6

dfu-util

dfu-util (Device Firmware Upgrade Utilities)

License: GPL-2.0-only

More info: http://dfu-util.sourceforge.net/

Platform

Required

Download

win64

required

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/dfu-util-0.9-win64.zip

SHA256: 5816d7ec68ef3ac07b5ac9fb9837c57d2efe45b6a80a2f2bbe6b40b1c15c470e