What are the Kits?
From Symbian Developer Community
This document describes the Symbian Foundation tool and software kits. It gives an overview of each kit, explains which kits you should use together to create a complete development environment, and provides links to further information on how they are obtained and installed.
All of the kits and tools are free. All of the kits are available to any developer, although certain kits are more relevant to certain developer segments.
To keep up to date with the latest Kits news and releases you can:
- subscribe to the kits mail list,
- visit the Kit Schedule wiki, or
- participate on the Build and Integration forum
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What kits do you need?
To create a full development environment you need a tool kit and at least one software kit. The kits are targeted primarily towards either application developers (who create applications "on top" of the Symbian platform), or "product" developers (who are using the Symbian platform to create devices and/or developing code to contribute to or complement the platform).
If you're an application developer you use:
The SDK contains only public APIs; these are guaranteed to remain compatible across Symbian platform devices.
If you're a device developer or contributor you use:
- Product Development Toolkit (PDT) and
- Product Development Kit (PDK)
- (Symbian^2 only) interim Symbian Software Kit (iSSK)
An application developer may also choose to use the PDK in order to gain access to internal APIs (no compatibility promises exist!) and because it contains source code that is both an excellent reference for API usage, and can be used to create derivative products.
Software Kits
Application Development SDK
The SDK is for developers who wish to create applications "on top" of the Symbian platform. It contains libraries and header files that enable you to develop your applications and a platform emulator that enables you to test your applications on the PC. It should be used in conjunction with an Application Development Toolkit.
The SDK provides access to the public APIs. Restricting your application to using only public APIs ensures that they will work across a broad range of Symbian-based devices today and in the future.
The first SDK for the Symbian platform is Symbian^1 (Note: this is a copy of the S60 5th Edition SDK v1.0). Over time the Symbian Foundation will create its own SDKs corresponding to each new Symbian platform release. These SDKs will be released in beta form near the point where the API for a given platform release is frozen. A final 'gold' version of the SDK will be made available when the Symbian platform is stable (it is possible that further updates of the SDK will be delivered after this point).
 | Note The Symbian^1 C++ SDK also includes some tools, including the GCCE Compiler. Over time these are expected to migrate to the ADT. |
For information on how to download the SDK and get started with C++ application development see:
Product Development Kit (PDK)
The PDK is intended primarily for developers who are creating products based on the Symbian platform, developing code to contribute to the platform, and/or developing products to complement the platform. This includes software developers (board bring up, device-drivers, middleware, platform applications, defect fixing), test & quality assurance engineers, and variant-creation engineers.
The PDK contains a full build of the Symbian platform along with the corresponding source code (all of which is available under the Eclipse Public Licence v1.0 (EPL)). It should be used in conjunction with the Product Development Toolkit.
The PDK contains all APIs, including those which are subject to weaker compatibility rules than the public APIs provided in the SDK. Users of the PDK should take care to understand the rules appicable to the APIs they use. More information is available here.
The PDK is created on a regular basis; the intention is to create a release every 2 weeks but the frequency may vary. See the Build and Integration page for details of the current release schedule.
Platform contributors are encouraged to test their contributions against the latest version of the PDK. More information on how to contribute can be found here.
The PDK is distributed as a set of zip files containing binaries and source code. The zips may contain too many files to be correctly processed by WinZip or Info-Zip - we create the zip files using 7-Zip, and recommend that 7-Zip is used to extract the content (as discussed in the release notes).
| Note Unlike Symbian^3, Symbian^2 is not fully open source; some of the source is only available to members - under the Symbian Foundation License (SFL). To get the full source tree members must also extract the SFL archives, which are collectively referred to as the interim Symbian Software Kit (iSSK). |
For information on how to set up and download the PDK see the Product Development Kit Quick Start.
interim Symbian Software Kit (iSSK)
 | Tip Symbian^3 source code is all available under open source licences; therefore there is no Symbian^3 iSSK, |
The iSSK contains Symbian^2 source code that is made available under the Symbian Foundation Licence (SFL) only, and is hence only available to Symbian Foundation members.
The kit is distributed as a set of archives (zip files) that are available with the PDK archives on the download page for each release. The iSSK archives and corresponding PDK together produce a complete Symbian Foundation source tree.
The iSSK archives may be downloaded (by members) using How to Download a PDK.
Tool Kits
If you have previously worked with S60 SDKs and tools, you’ll have separately installed each of the tools you need for development (such as Active Perl, the JRE and Carbide.c++). The Symbian Foundation Toolkits help you install all the tools you need in one sweep; where these are not incorporated in the kits, the installer helps you find the correct tools (and versions), install them on your desktop and set the environment variables.
Application Development Toolkit (ADT)
The ADT is intended for developers who wish to create applications that run on production phones - i.e. "on top" of the Symbian platform. Typical users include: professional application and games developers, professional service companies, hobbyist developers, students and research groups. The ADT is intended for use with one or more SDKs.
The tools reside on the desktop and include an IDE (Carbide.c++), Compiler (GCCE), debugger (which allows debugging on both emulator and production phones), analysis tools, and more. See the article "What's in my toolkit" for a complete list of all the tools in the kit.
For information on how to download the ADT and get started with C++ application development see:
Product Development Toolkit (PDT)
The Product Development Tools are intended for developers who are creating devices based on the Symbian platform, developing code to contribute to the platform, and/or developing products to complement the platform. This includes software developers (board bring up, device-drivers, middleware, applications, defect fixing), test & quality assurance engineers, and variant-creation engineers. The PDT is intended for use with the Product Development Kit.
The kit contains almost all the PC-based tools and documentation needed by individual device-creation engineers. Tools in the PDT provide the ability to debug, analyse performance, and troubleshoot problems on real hardware, including board support packages (BSP), reference boards, prototype devices, and production phones. See "What's in my toolkit?" for a list/overview of all the tools in the kit.
The PDT also contains the "PDK Overlay" installer; this allows you to copy tools and utilities that aren't specific to a particular release of the platform to individual Product Development Kits. The tools that are in the overlay are listed in the PDK Overlay column here.
For information on how to set up and download the PDT see:
Other Kits
Carbide.c++ Development Kit (CDK)
The Carbide.c++ Development Kit enables you to create plugins to extend Carbide.c++; note that normal Eclipse plugins can also be used with Carbide.c++, however these will not be "Carbide.c++ aware".
The CDK is available only as an update to your Carbide.c++ installation, through the Carbide.c++ update site. It updates the Carbide.c++ installation (from the ADT or PDT) to include everything necessary to create Carbide.c++ plugins:
- Eclipse Java Development Tools (JDT)
- Eclipse Plug-in Development Environment (PDE)
- C/C++ Development Tools source code
- CDT Development documentation
- Carbide.c++ source code
- Carbide.c++ Plugin-Developer guide
- Example plug-in source code
The source code is pre-packaged in standard Eclipse form so developers can automatically search and debug Carbide.c++ code, just like Eclipse SDK.
For information on how to download the CDK see:
Kit Plug-Ins
Manufacturers may provide additional plugins to the Symbian platform tool and software kits; creating software that complements or extends the Symbian platform offering. For example, plug-ins might be created to support manufacturer-specific behaviour, to extend the support for "standard" C/C++, or to allow the kits to be used for development with other programming languages. For more information see: Kit plug-ins and extensions.
Sign in to comment…
Contents |
Varunmagical said...
Stichbury said...
The package is here: http://developer.symbian.org/wiki/index.php/IDE_Package
--Stichbury 10:18, 10 August 2009 (BST)
Sanspatil said...
Does the PDT install the devices.exe tool? I have installed the PDT and unzipped the PDK but still don't have the c:\program files\common\symbian folder under which the devices.exe is expected. I suspect the SDK is also needed? This is not clear from this page.
--Sanspatil 18:14, 2 October 2009 (BST)
Hamishwillee said...
@Sanspatil. No devices.exe doesn't come in the kits - but you can use the carbide mechanism. Its not supposed to be clear from this page - this is an overview of the kits purpose, not how you use them. I'd agree that the PDK or PDT document should make this clear, so I've made the necessary changes in the PDT and ADT to point to the Carbide.c++ mechanism.
--Hamishwillee 02:26, 5 October 2009 (BST)
Ivan llaisdy said...
The tools are all windows only. Is there any information on developng for Symbian on MacOSX?
--Ivan llaisdy 12:07, 5 October 2009 (BST)
Stichbury said...
Hi Ivan
You'll find a little information here and some more (including useful links to Martin's pages, here. If you persevere and are able to extend our coverage on development using Mac, we'd be very grateful.
Thanks, Jo
--Stichbury 13:25, 5 October 2009 (BST)
Toshihiro.hino.mw said…
I accessed Symbian^3 Kits after signed. But "Export Control Error" was displayed, and I could not download it. It was announced in your web that some areas will be off limits until late 2009. Please teach the detailed plan that limits will be canceled.
--Toshihiro.hino.mw 11:08, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
Hamishwillee said…
Hi @Toshihiro.hino.mw Are you a member? I've raised this query on the forums: http://developer.symbian.org/forum/showthread.php?p=11909#post11909
--Hamishwillee 22:50, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
Toshihiro.hino.mw said…
Hi Hamishwillee
Thank you for raising the query on the forum. Our company is not members under a Symbian Foundation License. Our country is Japan, and it is announced in your web that this area is not limits as follows.
[So some of the areas of our website, until late 2009, will be
off limits to visitors from some countries -- specifically those outside the EU and Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the USA.]
--Toshihiro.hino.mw 10:05, 20 November 2009 (UTC)
Toshihiro.hino.mw said…
Hi Hamishwillee
We are trying to download the kits in Japan, but we still can not do that. We think our country can get access to SFL specific areas. Could you teach us how to solve this phenomenon?
--Toshihiro.hino.mw 00:03, 27 January 2010 (UTC)
Hamishwillee said…
Hi @Toshihiro.hino.mw
Very odd.
- Is this the login you are trying to download the files with? If not, what is the username of the login you are using
- Assuming your company is a member (please confirm), can you confirm that the email extension of the account you are using matches the domain of your company (ie you're not using an @gmail.com or other non company account)
Regards Hamish
--Hamishwillee 10:21, 27 January 2010 (UTC)
Toshihiro.hino.mw の発言…
Hi Hamishwillee
I am sorry that the reply was late. I could download the kits, after updating the user profile. Thank you for your correspondence.
Regards Toshihiro.hino
--Toshihiro.hino.mw 09:13, 4 February 2010 (UTC)
Hamishwillee said…
Hi @Toshihiro.hino.mw You're most welcome - very pleased you can access everything now!
Regards Hamish
--Hamishwillee 00:44, 5 February 2010 (UTC)
Is there any plan for open source IDe for Symbian c++?
--Varunmagical 09:30, 10 August 2009 (BST)