---
id: spsdk-pyocd
version: "0.3.6"
license: BSD-3-Clause
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# spsdk-pyocd — PyOCD SW Debugger. A debugger probe plugin for SPSDK.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 257.5K/mo

## What it is and what it does

This package is a plugin that bridges SPSDK and PyOCD, two separate debugging ecosystems. It allows SPSDK—NXP's software development kit—to use PyOCD as a backend for communicating with hardware debugger probes. When installed alongside SPSDK, it registers itself as an available debugger interface, so tools like nxpdebugmbox can select PyOCD as their probe driver.

The package is lightweight but has high install friction because it requires both pyocd and spsdk to be present. It's in pre-alpha development and actively maintained. If you're working with NXP microcontrollers and want to use PyOCD probes through SPSDK's tooling, this plugin is what connects them; without it, SPSDK cannot see or use PyOCD probes.

Use it for:

- Debugging NXP microcontrollers using PyOCD probes through SPSDK command-line tools.
- Integrating PyOCD hardware probes into NXP's SPSDK development workflow.
- Using P&E Micro debugger probes with SPSDK when the pemicro extra is installed.
- Automating embedded debugging in CI/CD pipelines that rely on SPSDK and PyOCD.

## Worth the install?

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

Integrates PyOCD as a debugger probe interface for SPSDK, enabling hardware debugging through PyOCD-compatible probes.

Yes, if you use SPSDK and need PyOCD probe support. Install it only after SPSDK is already in your virtual environment. Pre-alpha status means expect possible breaking changes, but active maintenance and zero known vulnerabilities are positive signals. High install friction is a trade-off for the integration it provides.

## Install

pip install spsdk-pyocd
uv add spsdk-pyocd
poetry add spsdk-pyocd

## Installing spsdk-pyocd

Before you install: High install friction due to two required runtime dependencies (pyocd and spsdk). Package is actively maintained with recent commits, but remains in pre-alpha status. Requires Python 3.10 or later.

License in practice: BSD-3-Clause is permissive and poses no restrictions on use or redistribution for most projects.

Quickstart:

pip install spsdk
pip install spsdk-pyocd
nxpdebugmbox --help
# Verify 'pyocd' appears in available interfaces (--interface)

Requires SPSDK to be installed first in the same virtual environment; Python 3.10 or later required.

Verify before relying:

- Whether PyOCD and SPSDK versions have known compatibility constraints beyond the Python version requirement.
- Whether the pemicro extra adds significant additional dependencies or install complexity.
- Whether this package works with all PyOCD-compatible probes or only a subset.

## Package facts

- License: BSD-3-Clause (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 257.5K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

pyocd debugger plugin, spsdk debug probe interface, nxp hardware debugger, embedded debugging pyocd, spsdk debugger integration, embedded-debugging, nxp-microcontrollers, hardware-probe-plugin

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