Getting Started with Silicon Labs Bluetooth LE Development#

To get started with Bluetooth LE development, download the Simplicity Studio Development environment as described in the Simplicity Studio 5 User's Guide. Simplicity Studio 5 includes everything needed for IoT product development with Silicon Labs devices including a resource and project launcher, software configuration tools, full IDE with GNU toolchain, and analysis tools.

Once you have downloaded Simplicity Studio, you will be prompted to install the Gecko SDK (GSDK), which contains the Bluetooth Software Development Kit (SDK). The GSDK combines Silicon Labs wireless SDKs and Gecko Platform into a single, integrated package. The Bluetooth SDK comes with a number of example application that you can then modify to create your own applications.

See Prerequisites for additional details.

These pages focus on use and development in the Simplicity Studio 5 environment. Alternatively, Gecko SDK may be installed manually by downloading or cloning the latest from GitHub. See the GitHub site for more information.

Silicon Labs provides two different starter kits. The links below provide specific instructions for getting started with each kit.

• Wireless Starter Kit: The Blue Gecko Bluetooth Wireless Starter Kit (WSTK) helps you evaluate Silicon Labs' Blue Gecko Bluetooth modules and get started with software development. The kits come in different versions with different module radio boards. See the Silicon Labs product page for details on current configurations. If you are developing with an EFR32BG device and have purchased a EFR32BG Wireless Starter Kit (WSTK), you can use precompiled demos and an Android or iOS smartphone app to demonstrate Bluetooth software features.

• BGM220 Explorer Kit (part number: BGM220-EK4314A): The BGM220 is focused on rapid prototyping and IoT concept creation around the Silicon Labs BGM220P module.

Once you have set up development with your platform of choice and optionally expe