Set up the repository and toolchain

This page is step 2 of Getting started. It sets up everything you need to build the applications from the command line. Skip it if you flash pre-built firmware.

Step 2 of 6: Set up the repository and toolchain

Install nRF Util by following the instructions in the nRF Util documentation, if you have not done so yet.
Install the SDK manager and device commands:
```
nrfutil install sdk-manager device
```

Install the nRF Connect SDK toolchain:

nrfutil sdk-manager toolchain install --ncs-version v3.5.0-preview2

Start the toolchain shell. All west commands in this guide and in the application guides run inside this shell:
```
nrfutil sdk-manager toolchain launch --ncs-version v3.5.0-preview2 --shell
```
From the toolchain shell, create a workspace folder named smha-workspace and download the nRF Connect SDK modules into it:
```
west init -m https://github.com/nrfconnect/ncs-serial-modem-host-applications --mr main smha-workspace
cd smha-workspace/project
west update
```
west update downloads the nRF Connect SDK and all its modules and can take a while.

When you come back later, start the toolchain shell again (step 2.4) and go to smha-workspace/project before you run west commands.

Previous: Step 1: Choose your application | Next: step 3 in your application guide, PPP on an nRF54 DK, PPP on the nRF93M1 DK, or nRF93M1 AT