Quick Reference#

Use this page to find the right Simplicity AI SDK guide, MCP server, or skill for common development tasks.

Common Prompt Starting Points#

Create a Bluetooth example for my connected board and explain the generated files. Add a sensor readout to this existing project, then build it. Investigate this build error and suggest the smallest fix. Flash the project and help me validate the serial output.

AI SDK Toolset Quick Reference#

After installation, verify registered servers under Tools & MCP in your IDE. The following MCP servers are in current Beta packaging:

Skills complement these servers for workflows such as example find/create, project regenerate, hardware discovery, custom-board retargeting, and AEM analysis.

Note: Disable MCP tools you do not need for the current task. Fewer active tools reduce agent overhead, help stay within IDE tool limits, and reduce incorrect tool selection.

AI SDK Tools#

Disable MCP servers you do not need for the current task. Unused servers consume context and can cause incorrect tool selection.

silabs-ai-sdk-helpers#

• Tool: user-silabs-ai-sdk-helpers must be enabled to use.

• Description: Bootstraps Silicon Labs AI SDK work in a workspace and searches the local SLC project: ai_sdk_setup writes or refreshes the managed AGENTS.md block, slc_project_search explains resolved components and dependencies, and local_code_search finds C symbols contributed by installed components.

• Use Cases: First-time workspace setup, AGENTS.md refresh, "where is this feature defined?", function/typedef lookup in resolved SDK components, verifying MCP packaging wiring.

  DISABLE the silabs-ai-sdk-helpers MCP server only if you do not want the agent to bootstrap AGENTS.md or search C symbols and resolved SLC components in the local project.

• Example Usage:

  Set up this workspace for Silicon Labs AI SDK workflows, generate me a simple BLE example, then tell me which component provides sl_iostream_printf and where that function is defined

silabs-build-tool#

• Tool: user-silabs-build-tool must be enabled to use.

• Description: Builds an already generated project with CMake (build_cmake, including ARM GCC via toolchain.cmake) or Make (build_makefile). Does not create or generate the project.

• Use Cases: Compile after slc generate, out-of-source CMake configure and build, makefile builds, compile-error diagnosis.

  DISABLE the silabs-build-tool MCP server only if you do not want the agent to compile generated projects with CMake or Make. Building through the VS Code / Cursor extension is a separate MCP.

• Example Usage:

  Build this generated project with CMake using the ARM GCC toolchain and analyze any compiler errors if they surface

silabs-gdb-mcp#

• Tool: user-silabs-gdb-mcp must be enabled to use.

• Description: Starts, controls, and stops J-Link GDB sessions from the terminal: flash or attach, breakpoints, step, stack, variables, memory, and RTOS thread inspection. Use this when the VS Code extension debugger is not the host.

• Use Cases: Flash-and-debug, attach to a running target, breakpoints, step through firmware, inspect locals/registers, halt/continue/stop.

  DISABLE the silabs-gdb-mcp MCP server only if you do not want the agent to run terminal J-Link GDB firmware debug sessions. Debugging through the VS Code / Cursor extension is a separate MCP.

• Example Usage:

  Start a debug session on this BLE project, break at app_init, and tell me the value of my_state after initialization.

silabs-knowledge-base#

• Tool: user-silabs-knowledge-base must be enabled to use.

• Description: Semantic search over Silicon Labs docs, SDK code, .slcc components, example projects. Use this for catalog and documentation questions, not for executing slc locally.

• Use Cases: Docs lookup, example discovery by description, component identification, API/code pattern search, board and chip compatibility.

  DISABLE the silabs-knowledge-base MCP server only if you do not want the agent to semantically search Silicon Labs documentation, SDK code, components, examples, or compatibility data.

• Example Usage:

  Which component should I add to enable logging, and is bt_soc_empty compatible with brd4184b?

silabs-tool-locator#

• Tool: user-silabs-tool-locator must be enabled to use.

• Description: Resolves SLT-installed Silicon Labs tools and runs them without PATH. slt-find returns an install location; silabs-tool-exec runs an executable (for example slc-cli / slc.bat) with arguments in a given folder.

• Use Cases: Locate installed Silicon Labs tools, run them from an agent, execute any SLT package CLI in the project directory.

  DISABLE the silabs-tool-locator MCP server only if you do not want the agent to locate or run SLT-installed CLIs such as slc. Project create, modify, generate, and regenerate workflows need this server.

• Example Usage:

  Where is slc-cli installed? Locate it and run slc --help from this workspace

silabs-vscode-extension#

• Tool: plugin-silabs-vscode-extension-silabs-vscode-extension must be enabled to use.

• Description: MCP interface of the Silicon Labs VS Code/Cursor extension: project (build/clean), debugger (session control, breakpoints, stack, variables). Available in VS Code or Cursor with the extension only.

• Use Cases: IDE debug sessions, open tooling IDEs.

  DISABLE the silabs-vscode-extension MCP server only if you do not want the agent to build, debug, or launch Silicon Labs desktop tools through the VS Code / Cursor extension.

• Example Usage:

  Start a debug session of this project that I can monitor through the VS Code UI

AI SDK Skills#

slab-analyze-aem#

• Skill: slab-analyze-aem

• Description: Profiles power and current consumption on kits with on-board AEM using commander aem analyze.

• Use Cases: Average current/power, sleep-period and duty-cycle detection, current histograms, power-state clustering, offline capture analysis.

• Example Usage:

  Measure average power on my connected device for 10 seconds and tell me how long the sleep period lasts

slab-bgapi-cli#

• Skill: slab-bgapi-cli

• Description: Live BLE and Bluetooth Mesh control for NCP firmware through sl-bgapi: sessions, scan, connect, GATT, logs, reboot. Not for general SoC application firmware. Requires at least one device with NCP firmware connected.

• Use Cases: NCP session setup, BLE scan and connect, GATT discovery, Mesh runtime checks, adapter logs.

• Example Usage:

  Scan for nearby BLE devices for 5 seconds, connect to the strongest one, and show its GATT database

slab-btmesh-dcd-config#

• Skill: slab-btmesh-dcd-config

• Description: Edits Bluetooth Mesh Device Composition Data (DCD) in config/btmeshconf/dcd_config.btmeshconf: CID/PID/VID, elements, SIG and vendor models. Prefers adding the matching SDK component when one exists.

• Use Cases: Mesh composition setup, add/remove/move elements and models, vendor models, CID/PID/VID updates, pre-regeneration listing.

• Example Usage:

  Add a living_room element to my Bluetooth Mesh project and add the Generic OnOff Server model to it

slab-cmsis-config-edit#

• Skill: slab-cmsis-config-edit

• Description: Lists or changes CMSIS-annotated #define values in an existing .slcp project with slc describe config and slc modify config, so validation bounds are enforced.

• Use Cases: List project #define values, inspect CMSIS limits, change a config value, diagnose rejected values.

• Example Usage:

  List the CMSIS config defines in this project and set SL_IOSTREAM_USART_VCOM_BAUDRATE to 115200

slab-code-migration#

• Skill: slab-code-migration

• Description: Migrates application C and SLCP usage across Silicon Labs APIs (for example DMADRV to DMA Manager, emlib to HAL, Series 2 to Series 3) with extract/verify against a migration knowledge base.

• Use Cases: emlib-to-HAL, DMA driver migration, Series 2 to Series 3, symbol-by-symbol API updates, post-migration verify.

• Example Usage:

  Migrate this application from emlib to HAL and report any symbols the knowledge base cannot map

slab-convert-firmware#

• Skill: slab-convert-firmware

• Description: File-only image work with commander convert: format conversion, combining images, byte patches, address-range extract, ELF section filter, hex dump.

• Use Cases: HEX/S37/bin/ELF/RPS conversion, bootloader+app combination.

• Example Usage:

  Combine bootloader.s37 and app.s37 into image.hex

slab-create-board-component#

• Skill: slab-create-board-component

• Description: Authors a reusable Simplicity SDK board BSP (main .slcc, config .slcc, pin/clock headers) from a schematic so SLC and Studio discover the board like a built-in target.

• Use Cases: Custom PCB BSP, pin/LED/UART/clock mapping, hardware_board component, Studio board discovery.

• Example Usage:

  Create a reusable board component for this custom BG27 schematic with LED0 and VCOM configured

slab-csa-cli#

• Skill: slab-csa-cli

• Description: Live Channel Sounding Analyzer control through sl-csa.

• Use Cases: Connect an initiator session, discover reflectors, start or stop PBR/RTT measurement, read recent distance samples, open the analyzer UI.

• Example Usage:

  Discover nearby Channel Sounding reflectors for 5 seconds, start a PBR measurement on the first one, and show the latest distance results

slab-custom-hw-development#

• Skill: slab-custom-hw-development

• Description: Staged guide for firmware development on a custom Silicon Labs PCB (not a stock kit). Use when pin conflicts or kit-vs-PCB differences show up.

• Use Cases: Custom PCB bring-up, I2C/SPI/GPIO integration, wireless stack implementation, custom pin config, sleep/wake behavior and pin-conflict repair.

• Example Usage:

  Help me bring up I2C, logging, and EM2 sleep on my custom MG24 board and flag pins I must verify.

slab-example-create#

• Skill: slab-example-create

• Description: Creates a new example project/solution with slc example create into an empty destination.

• Use Cases: New BLE/Zigbee/platform example, board- or part-specific create, empty starter project.

• Example Usage:

  Create the bt_soc_empty example for brd4184b in a new folder in this workspace

slab-example-find#

• Skill: slab-example-find

• Description: Lists locally installed SDK examples with slc example list (label/board/part filters).

• Use Cases: Find an example by protocol or keyword, check board/part support, get the exact name for example create.

• Example Usage:

  Find a Bluetooth example that supports brd4184b and has sensor implementation and tell me its exact name

slab-gatt#

• Skill: slab-gatt

• Description: GATT Configurator CLI on .btconf plus sibling contribution XML files: validate, normalize, inspect, edit services/characteristics, and look up Bluetooth SIG GATT definitions.

• Use Cases: Validate GATT XML, add a SIG service, normalize .btconf, UUID lookup, capability edits.

• Example Usage:

  Add the Heart Rate service to this BLE project, then validate the GATT configuration

slab-hardware-retarget#

• Skill: slab-hardware-retarget

• Description: Changes project hardware with slc modify retarget: another Silicon Labs board, or --hardware custom.

• Use Cases: Board-to-board retarget, retarget to custom/no board, keep inherited BSP components.

• Example Usage:

  Retarget this .slcp from brd4184b to brd2601b, then regenerate

slab-hw-db-service-cli#

• Skill: slab-hw-db-service-cli

• Description: Queries hw-db-service for parts, boards, and kits (filters, SQL-style joins, aggregations) without sqlite3.

• Use Cases: Part/board/kit lookup, filter discovery, join queries, schema help.

• Example Usage:

  Query hw-db-service for kits that use EFR32MG24 and list the results

slab-migrate-to-custom-hardware#

• Skill: slab-migrate-to-custom-hardware

• Description: Retarget workflow from a BRD-xxxx kit example to the user's PCB with minimum .slcp/.slps/pintool/config changes.

• Use Cases: Dev-kit example on a custom PCB, raw-part retarget, pin/clock reconciliation.

• Example Usage:

  Port this BRD2601B example to my custom EFR32BG27 board and tell me which pins I must verify against the schematic.

slab-network-intelligence#

• Skill: slab-network-intelligence

• Description: Q&A, decode, semantic search, decryption keys, and related workflows over .pcap/.pcapng (and leftover CSV files) via Network Intelligence CLI. Requires Wireshark.

• Use Cases: "Did this event appear?", protocol decode, device/address involvement, key management, live-capture questions.

• Example Usage:

  Capture the network traffic for 10s to see if the BLE connection completed, and which devices were involved

slab-network-trace-cli#

• Skill: slab-network-trace-cli

• Description: Decodes an existing .pcapng to CSV with the Network Analyzer CLI, then summarizes events.

• Use Cases: .pcapng-to-CSV, BLE/Zigbee/Thread/Mesh/Wi-SUN event summary, post-capture analysis.

• Example Usage:

  Decode this .pcapng with Network Analyzer and summarize the most common events

slab-ota-implementation#

• Skill: slab-ota-implementation

• Description: Guidance for Silicon Labs OTA.

• Use Cases: Add OTA to a project, pick BLE/Gecko OTA vs other paths, bootloader requirements, GBL generation, acceptance criteria.

• Example Usage:

  What do I need to add OTA to this BLE project, including bootloader, image format, and how I should test it?

slab-project-generate#

• Skill: slab-project-generate

• Description: Runs slc generate to create a new example.

• Use Cases: New example or solution generation

• Example Usage:

  Generate a ble soc empty example into my current workspace

slab-project-modify#

• Skill: slab-project-modify

• Description: Adds or removes user-selected components on an .slcp with slc modify project.

• Use Cases: Add/remove/edit existing components in a generated project.

• Example Usage:

  Add the logging component to this project and insert log messages in the major BLE events

slab-project-regenerate#

• Skill: slab-project-regenerate

• Description: Regenerate an existing example after project modifications.

• Use Cases: After component add/remove, after SDK upgrade, after hardware retarget, workspace regenerate

• Example Usage:

  The .slcp file has been updated in this project, regenerate it

slab-project-upgrade#

• Skill: slab-project-upgrade

• Description: Upgrade a project from older to a newer SDK/extension version.

• Use Cases: Project migration between SDK versions

• Example Usage:

  Upgrade this project to the latest SiSDK version

slab-sbom-generate#

• Skill: slab-sbom-generate

• Description: Generates a Software Bill of Materials from an .slcp via slc sbom.

• Use Cases: Software documentation, analysis.

• Example Usage:

  Generate a JSON SBOM for this .slcp into a reports folder

slab-sdm-hardware#

• Skill: slab-sdm-hardware

• Description: The source of truth for connected Silicon Labs kits/adapters: discover, identify, configure, flash, erase, reset, serial monitor, and capture.

• Use Cases: List connected kits, flash firmware, erase/reset, serial boot log, packet capture, custom hardware overrides.

• Example Usage:

  What is the exact part number of the MCU that I have connected to my PC?

slab-slc-slconf#

• Skill: slab-slc-slconf

• Description: Explains how .slconf supplies SLC options.

• Use Cases: Missing SDK path, which .slconf SLC is using, when to edit vs regenerate, first-time .slconf via slt install.

• Example Usage:

  Why is slc saying no SDK is defined?

slab-slc-troubleshooting#

• Skill: slab-slc-troubleshooting

• Description: Troubleshooting information in relation to SLC.

• Use Cases: Errors encountered during SLC workflows such as project generation, migration, component manipulation.

• Example Usage:

  slc generate failed with "No SDK: Ensure there is an SDK defined in --sdk-package-path." Diagnose and fix it.

slab-slt-launch#

• Skill: slab-slt-launch

• Description: Opens installed Silicon Labs desktop tools.

• Use Cases: Launch Commander, Energy Profiler, Simplicity Studio UIs.

• Example Usage:

  Launch the Commander UI

slab-slt-package-mgnt#

• Skill: slab-slt-package-mgnt

• Description: Manages Silicon Labs packages through SLT: list, install, uninstall, locate, update, download, running processes.

• Use Cases: Manage which SDK versions are installed, install/update a package, locate an extension, uninstall a tool.

• Example Usage:

  Show which Silicon Labs SDK versions and extensions are installed

slab-tool-find#

• Skill: slab-tool-find

• Description: Thin skill over slt-find. Returns the installation dictionary of a package.

• Use Cases: Path for Network Analyzer, Commander, SLC or any SLT id.

• Example Usage:

  Find the install path for network-analyzer.

slab-vscode-debugger#

• Skill: slab-vscode-debugger

• Description: Controls the Silicon Labs VS Code / Cursor extension debugger.

• Use Cases: IDE debug session, breakpoints, step over/into, read/set variables, stack trace.

• Example Usage:

  Start debugging this project in VS Code, break at main, and show the call stack.

slab-vscode-external-tools#

• Skill: slab-vscode-external-tools

• Description: Lists or starts desktop tools registered with the Silicon Labs VS Code extension (listTools / startTool).

• Use Cases: List IDE-registered tools, open Commander or Energy Profiler from VS Code.

• Example Usage:

  List the Silicon Labs tools registered in VS Code and open Energy Profiler.

slab-vscode-project#

• Skill: slab-vscode-project

• Description: Builds or cleans a Simplicity Studio project through the VS Code extension.

• Use Cases: VS Code compile, clean artifacts, select build config/toolchain, capture console errors.

• Example Usage:

  Build this project in VS Code with default_config and show compiler errors.

slab-zephyr-workflow#

• Skill: slab-zephyr-workflow

• Description: Zephyr-on-Silicon-Labs workflow.

• Use Cases: Zephyr development using Silicon Labs chips.

• Example Usage:

  Generate a new Zephyr example for my connected board.

Related Topics#

• User Guide

• AI-Assisted Project

• Work with Existing Projects

• Prompting Best Practices