ARM-software/cmsis-actions

Collection of reusable GitHub actions to automate your workflows for embedded projects with Arm processors and/or CMSIS components.

Action: armlm

This action activates an Arm user based license using the armlm license manager.

- name: Activate Arm license
  uses: ARM-software/cmsis-actions/armlm@v1
  with:
    code: <personal product code>
    server: <custom license server>
    product: KEMDK-COM0

inputs	default value	description
code:	n/a	License activation code (takes precedence over server/product).
server:	n/a	Get a product license from the server specified by a URL.
product:	KEMDK-COM0	Get a license for the specified product from the server (default MDK Community Edition).

The action can be either called with a license activation code: or a license server: with product: specification. Without any inputs, it activates a license for the Keil MDK - Community Edition which is a free-to-use, non-commercial license which can be used for evaluation.

Usage examples armlm

• github.com/Arm-Examples/AVH_CI_Template actives a Keil MDK - Community Edition as it uses no inputs.

• github.com/ARM-software/CMSIS_6 actives a commerical product using a license activation code that is provided via a GitHub secret.

Action: setup-vcpkg

This action can be used to install vcpkg into the current runner environment.

- name: Install vcpkg
  uses: ARM-software/cmsis-actions/setup-vcpkg@v1
  with:
    version: 2026.04.27

inputs	default value	description
version:	2026.04.27	The version of vcpkg to install.

NOTE: The required vcpkg-artifacts is dropped after July 1st 2026. Assure the version installed has still support for artifacts.

Action: vcpkg

This action installs a development environment with the tools described in the file vcpkg-configuration.json. The tools are downloaded from the Arm Tools Artifactory. Refer to CMSIS-Toolbox - Installation - vcpkg - Setup using CLI installation guide for more information.

- name: Setup vcpkg environment
  uses: ARM-software/cmsis-actions/vcpkg@v1
  with:
    config: "./vcpkg-configuration.json"
    vcpkg-downloads: "${{ github.workspace }}/.vcpkg/downloads"
    cache: "-"

inputs	default value	description
config:	"./vcpkg-configuration.json"	Path and filename of the vcpkg configuration file.
vcpkg-downloads:	"${{ github.workspace }}/.vcpkg/downloads"	Download folder for vcpkg tool artifacts
cache:	"-" (no cache used)	Create a cache with a key to store tool artifacts.

The activated environment is preserved into $GITHUB_PATH and $GITHUB_ENV so that it can be used by subsequent steps. The cache is based on actions/cache and improves workflow execution time.

Usage examples vcpkg

• github.com/Arm-Examples/AVH_CI_Template uses vcpkg to install the required tools.

• https://github.com/ARM-software/CMSIS-FreeRTOS uses vcpkg with a cache. As there are multiple test executions, the workflow execution speed is improved.