Install tools on the command line using vcpkg
Introduction
Install vcpkg
Initialize vcpkg
Create a vcpkg-configuration.json file
Use vcpkg
Activate a license
Remove vcpkg
Next Steps
Install tools on the command line using vcpkg
Who is this for?
This is an introductory topic for software developers who want to create reproducible tool installations on the command line.
What will you learn?
Upon completion of this Learning Path, you will be able to:
- Install vcpkg
- Initialize vcpkg
- Create a vcpkg-configuration.json file
- Use vcpkg
- Activate tool licensing
- Remove vcpkg
Prerequisites
Before starting, you will need the following:
- A basic understanding of the development tools for Arm Cortex-M
- Command line access to your machine
Summary
This summary was drafted with an approved AI-assisted workflow and reviewed by Arm contributors before publication. Human technical review remains part of the process so the final page reflects engineering rigor, accuracy, and Arm editorial standards.
You’ll install and initialize
vcpkg on Linux, Windows, or macOS for reproducible command-line tool setup for projects. First, you’ll run the shell-specific initialization script and create vcpkg-configuration.json for your host. Then, you’ll run vcpkg-shell activate, inspect installed artifacts, and activate a Keil MDK Community license with armlm for Arm tooling.Frequently asked questions
These FAQs were drafted with an approved AI-assisted workflow and reviewed by Arm contributors before publication. Human technical review remains part of the process so the final page reflects engineering rigor, accuracy, and Arm editorial standards.
Yes. Run the appropriate script from
~/.vcpkg for your shell (vcpkg-init.cmd on Windows cmd, vcpkg-init.ps1 in PowerShell, or vcpkg-init on Linux and macOS). Initialization is required in every new terminal window before using vcpkg.The configuration ensures consistent installation across platforms and selects the correct binaries for the host OS and architecture. Create it first so activation installs and exposes the tools defined for your environment.
After running
vcpkg-shell activate, you should see a summary of artifacts with their Version and Status, such as installed. The listed tools come from your vcpkg-configuration.json.The activation output can include a warning that
vcpkg-artifacts is experimental and might change at any time. This is expected, and no action is necessary.Activate it using
armlm activate -product KEMDK-COM0 -server https://mdk-preview.keil.arm.com, then optionally run armlm inspect to confirm an active product entry such as Keil MDK Community. Use of Arm tools is subject to the End User License Agreement located in the license_terms folder of the downloaded archive.