Release v2.1.2

Neat Development Environment 2.1.2

Neat Development Environment 2.1.2, also known as the Neat SDK, is the recommended workspace for building, testing, and iterating on Neat applications for the SiMa.ai 2.1.2 platform release.

This release brings the SDK forward to an Ubuntu 24.04-based host environment, prepackages the released Neat Library 0.2.0 and Insight 0.0.2 components, and improves the integrated workflow from coding agent assistance to DevKit synchronization and runtime inspection.

Highlights

A more integrated Neat development workspace

The SDK now bakes in the core Neat development stack needed for day-to-day application work:

• Neat Library 0.2.0 installed through the standard sima-cli neat install artifact flow.
• Neat Insight 0.0.2 for runtime visibility, media routing, and application inspection.
• Prepackaged coding-agent skills for model compilation, graph surgery, and Neat application development.
• Cleaner SDK release metadata so tagged images clearly report the SDK release they came from.

Stronger DevKit workflow

DevKit sync is safer and more predictable in this release. The SDK now carries a secondary platform compatibility guard during DevKit sync, so a mismatched SDK and DevKit release stops before Neat framework packages are copied or installed on the device.

This is especially important for users who sync from inside the SDK without going through sima-cli neat install, where the CLI's normal compatibility checks may not be in the path.

Better cross-build reliability

The 2.1.2 SDK moves the host environment to Ubuntu 24.04 while preserving the Modalix/aarch64 target build contract. Several fixes were added to keep cross-compilation deterministic:

• SDK login shells now source the standard Modalix build environment, keeping SYSROOT, CC, CXX, and CROSS_COMPILE aligned.
• The aarch64 cross compiler is pinned to the GCC 12 toolchain expected by the Modalix sysroot.
• Sysroot package setup is more deterministic and includes runtime dependencies needed by downstream Neat builds.
• pkg-config/sysroot handling is hardened for CMake-based cross-builds.

Release and validation improvements

The SDK release process now follows the same branch/tag discipline as other Neat components. Release builds publish explicit SDK image tags, keep patch releases possible, and promote images only after smoke validation succeeds.

Smoke coverage now includes SDK startup, Neat component installation, DevKit-related safety checks, and Insight readiness/video-routing validation on Linux runners.

Install

Install the 2.1.2 SDK image with:

sima-cli install ghcr:sima-neat/sdk:v2.1.2

For the latest successful 2.1 patch release, use:

sima-cli install ghcr:sima-neat/sdk:v2.1-latest

Included component versions

Component	Version
Platform compatibility	2.1.2
Neat Library	0.2.0
Neat Insight	0.0.2

Notable fixes

• Fixed DevKit Neat package sync by including the package manifest required for compatibility verification.
• Improved pip timeout handling during SDK setup flows.
• Fixed ARM64 cross-build failures caused by accidental GCC 13 selection against the GCC 12 Modalix sysroot.
• Improved Insight startup readiness checks in SDK smoke tests.
• Removed the retired standalone smoke-test workflow in favor of a single build-and-smoke release path.

Full changelog

See the full commit history for this release: https://github.com/sima-neat/sdk/commits/v2.1.2

Release v2.0.0

Neat Development Environment, also known as the SDK, v2.0.0 is the first customer-facing release of the integrated SiMa.ai Palette Neat development environment for Modalix. It gives developers one containerized workspace for building Neat applications, working with models, connecting to a DevKit, and using AI coding agents with the right project context already in place.

This release is compatible with the eLxr / Modalix platform 2.0.0 release.

Why It Matters

Neat Development Environment turns setup from a collection of manual steps into a guided development experience. It packages the cross-build toolchain, sysroot, Neat Library, Insight, DevKit helper tools, and agent-ready source context into a Docker image that works across supported host platforms.

The result is a faster path from code to hardware: start the environment, pair a DevKit, build in /workspace, and run on Modalix without manually copying files or reconstructing the runtime environment.

Highlights

Agentic Coding Environment

Neat Development Environment is designed for AI-assisted development from the start. It includes the project context, helper scripts, and prepackaged coding-agent skills needed for agents to understand Neat workflows, inspect the environment, and work against the same /workspace used by developers and the DevKit.

The included agent skills cover key Neat workflows such as model compilation, graph surgery, and Neat application development. Use the environment with VS Code and agent tooling such as Codex or Claude Code to build, modify, and validate Neat applications with the relevant headers, libraries, tools, and runtime conventions already available.

DevKit Sync

DevKit Sync connects the host, SDK container, and Modalix DevKit through a shared workspace. Build outputs, application files, logs, and model artifacts are visible from both the development environment and the DevKit, so hardware validation becomes part of the normal development loop.

From inside the environment, developers can open a DevKit shell or run applications on the paired device with the dk helper instead of manually copying files and managing remote paths.

Integrated Development Experience

This release bundles the core pieces needed for Neat application development:

• eLxr SDK toolchain and Modalix sysroot
• Neat Library Core v0.1.0
• Neat Insight v0.0.2
• C++ headers, libraries, Python environment support, and runtime helper scripts
• Prepackaged coding-agent skills for model compilation, graph surgery, and Neat application development
• Multi-architecture SDK images for x86_64 and arm64 hosts
• Smoke-tested image promotion for more reliable published containers

Insight in the SDK

Neat Insight is included in Neat Development Environment, giving developers a browser-based view into workspace files, media assets, runtime state, and video-oriented workflows. It is available from the SDK container and can be updated independently through the Neat package flow.

Install

Install Neat Development Environment with sima-cli:

sima-cli install ghcr:sima-neat/sdk@v2.0.0

Then start the environment and optionally pair it with a DevKit:

sima-cli sdk setup --devkit-ip <devkit-ip>
sima-cli sdk neat

Inside the SDK shell, check the installed environment with:

neat

Included Component Versions

• SDK platform compatibility: 2.0.0
• Neat Library Core: v0.1.0
• Neat Insight: v0.0.2

Notable Changes

• Adds DevKit Sync and SDK workspace pairing.
• Bakes Neat resources into the SDK image for a more complete out-of-box setup.
• Adds prepackaged coding-agent skills for core Neat development workflows.
• Adds Insight installation and management inside the SDK container.
• Makes SDK sysroot and package setup deterministic.
• Improves cross-build pkg-config resolution.
• Hardens DevKit sudo bootstrap and NFS workspace setup.
• Gates promoted SDK images on smoke tests.
• Adds a release process that supports versioned SDK images and patch releases.

Full changelog: https://github.com/sima-neat/sdk/commits/v2.0.0