CAMBRIDGE, UK: ARM, a provider in development tools, today announced the launch of the Keil Development Studio 5 Application Edition, a software development tool suite which simplifies the development of Linux and Android native applications for ARM processor-based systems, reducing the learning curve and shortening the development and testing cycle.

DS-5 Application Edition features an Eclipse-based project manager with support for multiple workspaces and projects, powerful C/C++ and assembler code editing functions, said a press release.

It also includes a fully featured Linux application debugger with detailed graphical views and processor control mechanisms, and a fast model of an ARM Cortex-A8 processor-based SoC for rapid ARM Linux development without the need for any hardware target.

The tool preconfigured to support popular development boards including the OMAP35x processor-based BeagleBoard and Texas Instruments Incorporated OMAP35x evaluation module. DS-5 automates downloading applications and libraries to the target's file system, starting them and connecting the debugger, which enables developers to focus their effort on analyzing and fixing their code.

DS-5 Application Edition also includes two Linux example projects, the Gnometris application and the Libgames-support shared library.

"The industry-standard Eclipse design environment enables the integration of plug-ins from several tool vendors into a single framework. Eclipse-based tools such as DS-5 help us be more efficient when developing software for our multi-architecture automotive devices," said Carol de Vries, R&D manager automotive, NXP.