The free license is node-locked (typically to your PC’s MAC address). You cannot share floating licenses across a team. For a single developer, this is fine. For a team of five, you must buy Gold floating licenses.
Libero SoC is a comprehensive development environment. It supports power-efficient, secure FPGAs such as PolarFire, IGLOO2, SmartFusion2, and ProASIC3.
: Provides access to the full Libero SoC design flow, including synthesis, place-and-route, and timing analysis. 3. Comparative Licensing Tiers
While the Silver License is robust, Microchip offers paid tiers for advanced industrial requirements. According to the Libero SoC FAQ , the primary tiers are: License Tier Target Use Case microchip libero license free
SmartPower tool for precise pre- and post-layout power calculation. Step-by-Step Registration and Activation
Go to the Microchip website (microchip.com) → Products → FPGAs & SoCs → Libero SoC Design Suite. Download the latest Libero SoC version (e.g., v2024.x). You will need to register for a free Microchip account.
The Libero free license is highly functional because it supports the "workhorse" chips of the Microchip ecosystem: SoC FPGAs with integrated ARM Cortex-M3. IGLOO2: Low-power, high-security FPGAs. RTG4: Select support for radiation-tolerant development. Troubleshooting Common Issues The free license is node-locked (typically to your
Microchip addresses these needs with (formally known as the Free Tier).
The free license restricts you to medium-density devices. For PolarFire, you cannot target the largest MPF500T devices (500K logic elements). You are generally limited to the .
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later. For a team of five, you must buy Gold floating licenses
Additionally, free licenses for the tool can be obtained and merged with your existing Libero license file. Similarly, SoftConsole , Microchip's Eclipse-based IDE for firmware development, is also available as a free download.
To appreciate the value, compare Microchip’s offering to the market:
"Microchip offers a permanent, free 'Silver' license for Libero SoC that supports all IGLOO2, SmartFusion2, and PolarFire (non-SoC) FPGAs. It includes full synthesis, place & route, and programming, with only minor debug and simulation line-count limitations. This is a production-viable license for low-to-medium density designs."
PolarFire FPGAs are more expensive than Lattice iCE40, but Microchip offers low-cost dev boards (e.g., PolarFire Splash Kit ~$199). The free software makes the entry cost purely the hardware.