Environment setup

This page prepares the NE302 source development environment. Commands and tools follow the repository SETUP.md. When this page is complete, continue to Build, Flash and Update.

1. Docker (recommended)

NE302 and NE301 use the same development platform. For the default STEDGEAI_VARIANT=4.0, use the NE301 camthink/ne301-dev:v4.0 Docker image. When building a 2.2 or 3.0 model variant, use the matching image tag; firmware, model packages and the toolchain must use the same variant. The image keeps the cross-compilation toolchain and build dependencies in the container, avoiding a host installation of ARM GCC, Node.js, pnpm and ST tools.

STEDGEAI_VARIANT	Docker image
2.2	camthink/ne301-dev:v2.2
3.0	camthink/ne301-dev:v3.0
4.0 (default)	camthink/ne301-dev:v4.0

Confirm Docker is available, clone the NE302 source, and pull the image:

docker version
git clone https://github.com/camthink-ai/ne302.git
cd ne302
docker pull camthink/ne301-dev:v4.0

Start the container; the source directory is mounted at /workspace:

# Build only; no USB pass-through is needed.
docker run -it --rm \
  -v "$PWD":/workspace \
  -w /workspace \
  camthink/ne301-dev:v4.0

# Use USB pass-through only when flashing through ST-LINK on Linux.
docker run -it --rm --privileged \
  -v "$PWD":/workspace \
  -v /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb \
  -w /workspace \
  camthink/ne301-dev:v4.0

Inside the container, use NE302's own checks and non-destructive build verification:

./check_env.sh
make info
make -n

The Docker environment is ready for the next build step when ./check_env.sh shows Result: Essential tools complete! ✓ and both make info and make -n complete without an error. See Build, Flash and Update for flashing commands.

2. Local build environment (fallback)

Use this section only when Docker is unavailable or host tools must be run directly. Clone the source, then check which tools are missing:

git clone https://github.com/camthink-ai/ne302.git
cd ne302
./check_env.sh

Run the setup and check scripts for your operating system:

# Linux / macOS / Git Bash
./setup.sh
./check_env.sh

# Windows
setup.bat
check_env.bat

The setup script generates .make.env at the project root. Script completion does not mean that every task is available; use the result in section 5 to determine whether the environment is ready to build, flash, or regenerate a model.

3. Install tools by task

Task	Required tools	When required
Build FSBL, App, Web or WakeCore	ARM GNU Toolchain, GNU Make, Python 3, Node.js, pnpm	Modifying or building source
Sign firmware	STM32 SigningTool CLI, supplied with STM32CubeCLT	Creating deployable FSBL or App output
Flash through ST-LINK	STM32CubeProgrammer CLI	Running make flash*
Regenerate Model	ST Edge AI Core (stedgeai) and STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR	Modifying or recompiling a model

stedgeai is not required to build App or Web. It is also unnecessary when using the precompiled models in the repository bin/ directory.

ARM GCC, Make and base build tools

On Windows, STM32CubeCLT is recommended. Its default ARM GCC directory is:

C:\ST\STM32CubeCLT\GNU-tools-for-STM32\bin

On Ubuntu or Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install gcc-arm-none-eabi make build-essential

On macOS:

brew install --cask gcc-arm-embedded
xcode-select --install

Web builds also require Node.js and pnpm:

npm install -g pnpm

SigningTool and STM32CubeProgrammer

• Install STM32CubeCLT for STM32_SigningTool_CLI. Do not assume it is installed if CubeProgrammer cannot find it.
• Install STM32CubeProgrammer for STM32_Programmer_CLI. NE302 SETUP.md specifies version 2.19.0 or later.
• The default CubeProgrammer bin directory on Windows is:

C:\Program Files\STMicroelectronics\STM32Cube\STM32CubeProgrammer\bin

Add the relevant directories to PATH, then run the checks in section 5.

ST Edge AI Core

To regenerate a model, install ST Edge AI Core and set STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR. Replace <version> with the installed version:

# Linux
export STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR="$HOME/STM32Cube/Repository/Packs/STMicroelectronics/X-CUBE-AI/<version>"
export PATH="$STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR/Utilities/linux:$PATH"

# macOS
export STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR="$HOME/STM32Cube/Repository/Packs/STMicroelectronics/X-CUBE-AI/<version>"
export PATH="$STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR/Utilities/mac:$PATH"

On Windows, add the stedgeai directory to the system environment and set STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR to the matching X-CUBE-AI installation directory. The ST Edge AI variant must match the STEDGEAI_VARIANT used for the firmware and model build.

4. Configure .make.env

The setup script generates .make.env at the project root. Set GCC_PATH for the local toolchain; set STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR only when regenerating a model. For example:

GCC_PATH = /path/to/arm-gnu-toolchain/bin
MAKEFLAGS += -j8
export STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR=/path/to/STEdgeAI

You can also pass a GCC path for one build:

make GCC_PATH=/path/to/toolchain/bin

Do not copy Flash addresses from another project into .make.env; the NE302 root Makefile manages flashing commands and addresses.

5. Verify the local environment

Run the repository check for your operating system:

# Linux / macOS / Git Bash
./check_env.sh

# Windows Command Prompt
check_env.bat

The basic build environment is ready when the script ends with one of these results:

# Linux / macOS / Git Bash
Result: Essential tools complete! ✓

# Windows
Result: Essential tools complete! [OK]

That result confirms that these base tool checks have passed:

ARM GCC Compiler
GNU Make
Python 3
Node.js
pnpm

If the output is Result: <number> essential tool(s) missing, install the missing tools and rerun the check script for your operating system.

Before building FSBL, App, or WakeCore, also confirm that ARM Objcopy shows [OK]. The Linux/macOS script lists this tool but does not include it in the Essential tools complete missing count.

Use the following extra checks for task-specific work:

Planned operation	Entries that must also show [OK]
Create signed FSBL or App firmware	STM32 Signing Tool
Flash existing build output through ST-LINK	STM32 Programmer
Regenerate a model	ST Edge AI, STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR

Note: <number> optional tool(s) missing means basic builds are available, but the operation that needs the missing tool is not.

6. Check the build without flashing

make info
make -n

Successful make info output includes NE302 Version Information, with FSBL, APP, WEB, MODEL and WAKECORE versions and the active STEdgeAI variant. make -n only prints the build commands that would run; it does not build or flash the device.

When both commands finish without an error, continue to Build, Flash and Update.

7. Common setup issues

Symptom	Check first
arm-none-eabi-gcc is not found	Confirm ARM GCC is installed and its bin directory is in PATH or GCC_PATH
make is not found	Use Git Bash or install Make on Windows; install Command Line Tools on macOS
STM32_Programmer_CLI is not found	Confirm CubeProgrammer is installed and its bin directory is in PATH
stedgeai or STEDGEAI_CORE_DIR is unavailable	Only needed to regenerate models; confirm the installation path, PATH and environment variable point to the same version

After correcting an issue, rerun the applicable ./check_env.sh or check_env.bat check before continuing.