SDK Release and Maintenance Policy

A supported SDK is one that is eligible for technical support from Silicon Labs, and eligible for software patches to fix issues. Technical questions on Silicon Labs hardware and software products are supported via our support forums.

There is no set schedule for patches. Patches for the active SDK release (the most recent major.minor release) may include (at our discretion) fixes for any level of issue and are likely to happen more often than patches for older releases. Patches will be made available as issues are discovered, assessed, and resolved.

High-impact issues include critical and blocker level bugs and security vulnerabilities.  The level of the issue is determined by Silicon Labs based on the severity and impact to our customers and their products.  Our intention is to balance the needs of all customers while providing high-quality, stable releases.

First, check the Release Notes for your software to see if it is a known issue. Next, search for solutions or report an issue in our support forums.

Free support is offered until the maintenance end date. Silicon Labs also offers an SDK Extended Maintenance Service (SEMS). SEMS enables customers to extend maintenance of specific SDK releases.  See our SDK Extended Maintenance Service page for details.

Simplicity SDK is an embedded software development platform for building IoT products based on Series 2 and upcoming Series 3 wireless and MCU devices. It integrates wireless protocol stacks, middleware, peripheral drivers, a bootloader, and application examples – a production-quality framework for building power-optimized and secure IoT devices.

Simplicity SDK is a follow-on to the widely-adopted Gecko SDK.  Simplicity SDK 2024.6 is very similar to Gecko SDK v4.x, building on top of the same platform with a very similar overall structure and architecture.

As Series 2 and Series 3 devices and wireless technology continues to evolve, so will the software support that Silicon Labs provides. Simplicity SDK will include development of new features supported only on Series 2 and 3 devices. Gecko SDK is a mature product that will be the long-term support option for Series 0 and 1 devices. Learn more information on device families and series.

Yes. While there are no new releases planned for Gecko SDK, there are several releases in maintenance that are eligible for patches to high-impact issues. Gecko SDK 4.4 will also be the long-term support option for Series 0 and 1 devices.

Silicon Labs remains dedicated to delivering reliable, supported, and well-maintained software for all active hardware products. The GSDK 4.5 LTS represents a long-term support release specifically tailored for Series 0 and Series 1 devices that are not supported by the Simplicity SDK. This release ensures ongoing maintenance for devices that remain active (i.e., not classified as NRND or EOL).

Yes, the Gecko SDK will continue to support the current Series 2 devices available in GSDK 4.4 until the designated maintenance end date. Moving forward, new features for Series 2 devices—and the upcoming Series 3 devices—will be introduced through Simplicity SDK releases. Customers seeking the latest features and ongoing support for Series 2 devices are encouraged to adopt or migrate to the latest Simplicity SDK release.

• You can continue using GSDK 4.4.x, as maintenance shall be provided through the maintenance end date.
• You will then need to migrate to 4.5 LTS for our long-term support and maintenance free of charge.
  • Maintenance will continue so long as EFR32xG1x devices are recommended for new designs.
  • This support will only provide critical bug fixes as categorized by Silicon Labs as we do today.
• If you choose not to move to 4.5 LTS, you can request a SEMS agreement to extend maintenance terms which has an associated fee.

• You may continue using GSDK 4.4.x, as maintenance shall be provided through the maintenance end date.
• You will then need to migrate to our Simplicity SDK releases for new features, capabilities and continued support.
• If you choose to stay on GSDK 4.4.x for Series 2 you can request a SEMS agreement to extend maintenance terms which has an associated fee. This support will only provide critical bug fixes as categorized by Silicon Labs.

• You are using our latest SDK and will continue to have access to our latest devices, features, fixes and improvements.
• Each release shall be supported for 18 months free of charge.
• Once the maintenance expires, you will need to migrate to the latest release of the Simplicity SDK.
• If you choose not to move to the latest Simplicity SDK release, you can request a a SEMS agreement to extend maintenance terms which has an associated fee. This support will only provide critical bug fixes as categorized by Silicon Labs.