CMake version 3.5 or newer is required for use with ESP-IDF. Older Linux distributions may require updating, enabling of a "backports" repository, or installing of a "cmake3" package rather than "cmake".
Toolchain Setup
===============
ESP32 toolchain for Linux is available for download from Espressif website:
1. Download this file, then extract it in ``~/esp`` directory::
mkdir -p ~/esp
cd ~/esp
tar -xzf ~/Downloads/xtensa-esp32-elf-linux64-1.22.0-80-g6c4433a-5.2.0.tar.gz
.._setup-linux-toolchain-add-it-to-path-cmake:
2. The toolchain will be extracted into ``~/esp/xtensa-esp32-elf/`` directory.
To use it, you will need to update your ``PATH`` environment variable in ``~/.profile`` file. To make ``xtensa-esp32-elf`` available for all terminal sessions, add the following line to your ``~/.profile`` file::
Alternatively, you may create an alias for the above command. This way you can get the toolchain only when you need it. To do this, add different line to your ``~/.profile`` file::
alias get_esp32='export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/esp/xtensa-esp32-elf/bin"'
Then when you need the toolchain you can type ``get_esp32`` on the command line and the toolchain will be added to your ``PATH``.
..note::
If you have ``/bin/bash`` set as login shell, and both ``.bash_profile`` and ``.profile`` exist, then update ``.bash_profile`` instead.
3. Log off and log in back to make the ``.profile`` changes effective. Run the following command to verify if ``PATH`` is correctly set::
printenv PATH
You are looking for similar result containing toolchain's path at the end of displayed string::
Instead of ``/home/user-name`` there should be a home path specific to your installation.
Permission issues /dev/ttyUSB0
------------------------------
With some Linux distributions you may get the ``Failed to open port /dev/ttyUSB0`` error message when flashing the ESP32. :ref:`This can be solved by adding the current user to the dialout group<linux-dialout-group-cmake>`.
Arch Linux Users
----------------
To run the precompiled gdb (xtensa-esp32-elf-gdb) in Arch Linux requires ncurses 5, but Arch uses ncurses 6.
Backwards compatibility libraries are available in AUR_ for native and lib32 configurations:
Before installing these packages you might need to add the author's public key to your keyring as described in the "Comments" section at the links above.
Alternatively, use crosstool-NG to compile a gdb that links against ncurses 6.
Next Steps
==========
To carry on with development environment setup, proceed to section :ref:`get-started-get-esp-idf-cmake`.
