---
id: spsdk-mcu-link
version: "0.6.9"
license: BSD-3-Clause
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# spsdk-mcu-link — SPSDK MCU-Link. A debugger probe plugin for SPSDK supporting LPC-Link/MCU-Link from NXP.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 259.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

SPSDK MCU-Link is a plugin that extends the NXP SPSDK toolkit with support for NXP's MCU-Link and LPC-Link debug probes. It implements the CMSIS-DAP protocol to enable hardware debugging, firmware updates, and SWD/JTAG interface access through the nxpdebugmbox command-line tool. The plugin integrates directly into SPSDK's probe discovery and management system, allowing developers to use MCU-Link hardware as a debug interface for embedded development workflows.

The package depends on five runtime components: spsdk (the core toolkit), pyusb and hidapi for USB communication, libusb_package for low-level USB access, and wasmtime for WebAssembly execution. This dependency stack introduces significant install friction, particularly on systems without pre-configured USB development libraries. The package is actively maintained but classified as pre-alpha, indicating that core functionality is present but the API and feature set may change.

Use it for:

- Debug embedded firmware on NXP microcontrollers using MCU-Link hardware connected via USB.
- Update MCU-Link probe firmware through the nxpdebugmbox tool integrated with SPSDK.
- Access SWD and JTAG interfaces for low-level hardware debugging and development.
- Automate debug probe discovery and session management in embedded development scripts.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

A plugin for SPSDK that adds support for NXP MCU-Link debug probes, enabling CMSIS-DAP protocol communication, firmware updates, and SWD/JTAG debugging through the nxpdebugmbox command-line tool.

Yes, with conditions. Install this if you own NXP MCU-Link hardware and need SPSDK integration for embedded debugging. The permissive BSD-3-Clause license poses no barrier. However, expect high install friction from five runtime dependencies and be prepared for pre-alpha instability—verify that your system's USB libraries are properly configured before attempting installation, and pin the version if you need stability in production workflows.

## Install

pip install spsdk-mcu-link
uv add spsdk-mcu-link
poetry add spsdk-mcu-link

## Installing spsdk-mcu-link

Before you install: High install friction due to five runtime dependencies including wasmtime, pyusb, hidapi, libusb_package, and spsdk itself. The package is actively maintained (last commit 2026-06-19) but remains in pre-alpha status, so expect potential API changes and incomplete features.

License in practice: BSD-3-Clause is a permissive open-source license allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, requiring only license and copyright notice preservation.

Quickstart:

pip install spsdk_mcu_link
nxpdebugmbox --interface mcu-link --port auto

Requires Python >=3.10; SPSDK must be installed first; USB drivers for MCU-Link hardware must be present on the system.

Verify before relying:

- Whether wasmtime, pyusb, hidapi, and libusb_package install reliably across Windows, macOS, and Linux without additional system configuration.
- Stability and feature completeness of pre-alpha releases and likelihood of breaking changes before 1.0.
- Whether the plugin works with all NXP MCU-Link hardware variants or only specific versions.

## Package facts

- License: BSD-3-Clause (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 259.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

NXP MCU-Link debug probe, CMSIS-DAP protocol support, SPSDK debug plugin, LPC-Link debugger, NXP firmware debugging, embedded debug interface, JTAG SWD probe, embedded-debugging, nxp-hardware, usb-probe

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/spsdk-mcu-link) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/spsdk-mcu-link/)