BSD library

The Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) library is Nordic Semiconductor’s implementation of the BSD Socket API, which is a set of standard function calls that can be used in an application. This library aims to be compatible with the BSD socket standard to simplify writing and porting of existing applications.

The library has the following set of sockets:

• 8 generic sockets that can be used freely between UDP, TCP, TLS, DTLS, and AT commands

• 1 GNSS/AGPS socket

• 1 modem DFU socket

• 10 PDN sockets

The BSD library is the primary interface for operating the nRF9160 modem and to establish LTE-M, NB-IoT, and GNSS connections. The library abstracts away the details on memory management and synchronization, allowing you to focus on writing the application using standardized API calls.

BSD library overview diagram

To get started with socket programming, you should check out some introductions and tutorials, such as Beej’s Guide to Network Programming.

The BSD library has been designed in such way that you can port it to any RTOS. Therefore, procedures that would normally require some kind of OS interaction, like going into sleep mode and IRQ reprioritization, have been moved out of the library to a .c file in which OS-specific integration can be implemented. For more information, see Porting the BSD library to your OS.

Subpages:

• Supported features
• Limitations
  • Modem firmware limitations
• Library architecture
• Security tags
• BSD socket extensions
  • PDN management
  • AT commands
  • GNSS socket
• Porting the BSD library to your OS
  • Creating the OS abstraction layer
  • Memory
  • Peripheral requirements
  • Message sequence diagrams
  • Reference template for the bsd_os.c file
• Changelog
  • bsdlib 0.8.1
  • bsdlib 0.8.0
  • bsdlib 0.7.9
  • bsdlib 0.7.8
  • bsdlib 0.7.7
  • bsdlib 0.7.6
  • bsdlib 0.7.5
  • bsdlib 0.7.4
  • bsdlib 0.7.3
  • bsdlib 0.7.2
  • bsdlib 0.7.1
  • bsdlib 0.7.0
  • bsdlib 0.6.2
  • bsdlib 0.6.1
  • bsdlib 0.6.0
  • bsdlib 0.5.1
  • bsdlib 0.5.0
  • bsdlib 0.4.3
  • bsdlib 0.4.2
  • bsdlib 0.4.1
  • bsdlib 0.4.0
  • bsdlib 0.3.4
  • bsdlib 0.3.3
  • bsdlib 0.3.2
  • bsdlib 0.3.1
  • bsdlib 0.3.0
  • bsdlib 0.2.4
  • bsdlib 0.2.3
  • bsdlib 0.2.2
  • bsdlib 0.2.1
  • bsdlib 0.2.0
  • bsdlib 0.1.0
• API documentation
  • BSD Library Management
  • Limits of the BSD library
  • BSD Platform
  • Socket parameter enumerators
  • Socket API
  • TLS socket
  • GNSS socket
  • DFU socket
  • PDN socket
  • Socket address resolution API
  • File descriptor sets API
  • Socket polling API
  • OS specific definitions