Install a native SDK distribution¶

Install the Python command-line tools, then download the native SDK for your host. The native archive contains the ARM compiler, linker, resource compiler, CMake, Ninja, target headers and libraries, and the compiled C++ host SDK. Application builds do not require a source checkout or a package-manager LLVM installation.

Select the archive¶

Use macOS 15 or later, or Ubuntu 24.04 or another Linux distribution with glibc 2.39 or later. The Python wheels support older Linux hosts with glibc 2.28; the bundled native build tools have the higher requirement above.

Host	Archive
macOS, Apple Silicon	`symbian-sdk-0.1.7-macos-arm64.tar.gz`
macOS, Intel	`symbian-sdk-0.1.7-macos-x86_64.tar.gz`
Linux, x86_64	`symbian-sdk-0.1.7-linux-x86_64.tar.gz`
Linux, arm64	`symbian-sdk-0.1.7-linux-aarch64.tar.gz`

macOSLinux

sdk_asset="symbian-sdk-0.1.7-macos-$(uname -m).tar.gz"

sdk_asset="symbian-sdk-0.1.7-linux-$(uname -m).tar.gz"

Download and install the selected archive in your activated Python environment:

pip install --upgrade symbian-platform
curl -fL "https://github.com/hpnkv/symbian-platform/releases/download/v0.1.7/$sdk_asset" \
  -o symbian-sdk.tar.gz
symbian sdk install ~/dev/symbian-sdk --archive symbian-sdk.tar.gz
symbian init ~/dev/hello_time --name hello_time --non-interactive
symbian app build --project ~/dev/hello_time

The archive installer needs symbian-platform 0.1.1 or later. It selects the installed SDK for subsequent projects. The SDK stays visible as an ordinary file tree; you can inspect its headers, tools and archives directly.

Both ARMv5T and ARMv6 EKA2 libraries are included in each host archive. Use --architecture armv5t with symbian init to select ARMv5T. The libraries include the C++ runtime, Abseil, concurrency, device APIs, HTTP, WebSockets and Mbed TLS. Original OS imports require compatible system DLLs in the target firmware. The archives do not replace firmware or provide the modern runtime on EKA1; see EKA1 restrictions.

Build without Python¶

You can extract the native archive and use its tools directly. From an empty directory, with symbian-sdk.tar.gz downloaded as above:

mkdir sdk
tar -xzf symbian-sdk.tar.gz -C sdk
cd sdk
bin/cmake -S examples/hello_time -B build/hello_time -G Ninja \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="$PWD/cmake/symbian-arm.cmake" \
  -DSYMBIAN_SDK_PREFIX="$PWD" \
  -DCMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM="$PWD/bin/ninja"
bin/cmake --build build/hello_time

This builds build/hello_time/hello_time.elf and build/hello_time/e32/hello_time.exe. Use a separate build directory and -DSYMBIAN_TARGET_ARCH=armv5t to select ARMv5T. The included example is a real GUI application with a clock, bounded time log, and Clear/Exit controls.

For your own executable target, publish E32 from CMake after linking it:

symbian_publish_executable(my_app UID3 0xe0000830)

The helper discovers imports from the target's linked libraries and writes the image under the build directory's e32/ subdirectory. The standalone bin/symbian-native also provides convert-exe, convert-dll and proxy-sources; run it with --help for arguments. Packaging, signing and emulator orchestration use the separately installed Python CLI.

Relocate and use the C++ host SDK¶

The archive's sdk.json uses relative tool paths, so the extracted tree can be moved. Refresh an existing project's sdk-location.json or select the moved installation with symbian app configure --project PROJECT --sdk NEW_SDK. The active user setting must also be updated when its selected directory moves.

The compiled host SDK lives in host/. Point a host CMake project's CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH at that directory and use find_package(SymbianHost CONFIG REQUIRED). The host SDK guide shows a consumer. The native archive includes its static third-party library closure and the build tools' non-system shared libraries. Their licences are under licenses/ and host/share/symbian/.

Firmware, EKA2L1 and a guest debugger are configured separately. Continue with packaging and device installation, or firmware and emulator setup.