Applications¶
There are two types of applications supported by the extension: freestanding and workspace.
Freestanding application¶
A freestanding application is an application that is not inside a west workspace and that is not using the west manifest to specify the nRF Connect SDK version. Instead, the nRF Connect SDK version specified in the VS Code workspace setting is used. This means that all freestanding applications in the same VS Code workspace will use the same nRF Connect SDK version.
The extension will resolve the path of the nRF Connect SDK installation on the local system from the version variable. Typically, this means that applications in different VS Code workspaces that point to the same nRF Connect SDK version will use the same copy of the installed nRF Connect SDK.
Freestanding application creation flow¶
The freestanding application is created when you use the standard procedure for creating and building an application. You can also create it from the New Application screen, accessible using the Create a new application button in the Welcome View.
Workspace application¶
A workspace application is an application that is inside a west workspace. A workspace application specifies the nRF Connect SDK version through the west manifest file. This means that the nRF Connect SDK version setting specified in the VS Code workspace setting is not used to resolve the nRF Connect SDK installation.
Instead, west will clone a separate instance of nRF Connect SDK to its workspace and use it for the workspace application.
Workspace application creation flow¶
The workspace application can be created from the New Application screen, accessible using the Create a new application button in the Welcome View.
Given that a workspace application specifies the nRF Connect SDK version through the west manifest file, you can create a workspace application only if you do not have an nRF Connect SDK version installed in your VS Code workspace already.
Migrating an application to a newer SDK version¶
With the release of newer nRF Connect SDK versions, you may want to migrate your application. See How to change SDK versions for more information.