Install the Vega SDK
Vega Developer Tools (VDT) is a comprehensive suite of tools, SDK, libraries, and components used for building apps for Vega OS devices. This includes Vega Studio, an integrated development environment (IDE) for app development, debugging, performance analysis, and optimization. If you have VS Code installed, the installer sets up Vega Studio automatically. You can also install Vega Studio later by following the instructions in Set Up and Use Vega Studio.
Prerequisites
Before installing VDT, make sure your system meets these requirements:
Disk space: 20 GB available for VDT installation and development environment
Supported operating systems: macOS 10.15+ or Ubuntu 16+
Recommended: Download and install Visual Studio (VS Code) for Vega Studio integration
Required dependencies
Install the required dependencies for your operating system:
Package manager:
- Homebrew: Follow the installation instructions at brew
Development tools:
-
Node.js (version 16.x or later): Download and install from Node.js
-
If you have node.js installed, check your version:
node --version
Development utilities:
Install required tools for Vega development (includes Rosetta 2 for Apple Silicon Macs):
[[ $(arch) == "arm64" ]] && softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license; brew update && brew install binutils coreutils gawk findutils grep jq lz4 gnu-sed watchman
System requirements:
- Native debugging and crash report symbolication: python3.8, lz4
- KVM virtualization support: See KVM Hypervisor
- Node.js (version 16.x or later): Download and install from Node.js
-
If you have node.js installed, check your version:
node --version
- Watchman for file monitoring: Follow the Ubuntu installation guide.
Install Python and compression tools:
This command installs the lz4 compression tool and Python 3.8 development libraries required for the setup.
(dpkg -l | grep -q lz4 || sudo apt install -y lz4) && \
sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa && \
sudo apt update && \
(dpkg -l | grep -q libpython3.8-dev || sudo apt install -y libpython3.8-dev)
Install Vega SDK
Close VS Code before installing the SDK. If you see an 'Electron quit unexpectedly' message during or after installation, this can occur when VS Code is running during installation or when installing over an existing Kepler version. While this message doesn't affect the installation and you can ignore it, you must restart VS Code afterward.
Need help? Visit the community forum at https://community.amazondeveloper.com/.
-
Follow the on-screen instructions.
-
When prompted, enter the installation path for the Vega SDK:
- Press Enter to use the default location:
<HOME>/kepler/sdk/
.
- Press Enter to use the default location:
-
Wait for the installation to complete.
The installer displays export commands that provide access to the
kepler
command and use the Vega Studio extension.Example export commands:
export KEPLER_SDK_PATH=/Users/<user>/kepler/sdk/<version number> export PATH=$KEPLER_SDK_PATH/bin:$PATH
-
Add the export commands to your shell configuration file:
Bash users: ~/.bashrc
or
~/.bash_profile Zsh users: ~/.zshrc` or ~/.zprofile -
Apply the configuration changes:
Bash users: source ~/.bashrc
or
source ~/.bash_profile Zsh users: source ~/.zshrcor
source ~/.zprofileAlternatively, restart your terminal.
-
Verify the installation by checking the Vega SDK version:
kepler --version
Restart VS Code after Vega SDK installation
If VS Code was running during the Vega SDK installation, reload the app to recognize the Vega Studio extension:
-
Open the VS Code Command Palette:
macOS: Press Cmd+Shift+P Linux: Press Ctrl+Shift+P
-
Enter Reload Window and press Enter.
VS Code reloads and recognizes the Vega Studio extension.
Next steps
After installing Vega Developer Tools, choose your development approach:
For beginners:
- Start with the Build a Hello World App to learn Vega development basics.
For experienced developers:
-
Vega Studio: If you installed Vega Studio, begin with Build an App Using Vega Studio.
If you didn't install Vega Studio: Set up the development environment by following the instructions in Set Up and Use Vega Studio.
-
Vega CLI: For command-line development, see Build an App Using Vega CLI.
Need help?
- Visit Fix Vega SDK Installation Issues.
- Post an issue in Developer Forum.
Last updated: Sep 30, 2025