SDK Installation¶
The Platform SDK and Apps SDK are the two components required to compile and run models on Qualcomm Cloud AI accelerators. This section covers compilation modes and installation steps.
Note
Linux kernel 6.10 and later includes built-in KMD support and firmware for Qualcomm Cloud AI accelerators. If you are running kernel 6.10+ and deploying via containers, Platform SDK installation is optional - the Cloud AI container images bundle the necessary runtime libraries and tools.
Compilation Modes¶
The Apps SDK and Platform SDK serve distinct roles in the model deployment pipeline:
Apps SDK - provides the compiler (
qaic-compile) and development libraries needed to compile models into QPC (Qualcomm Program Container) artifacts. The Apps SDK can be installed on any Linux host, including systems without Cloud AI hardware.Platform SDK - provides the drivers, firmware, and runtime libraries required to execute compiled models on Cloud AI hardware. Must be installed on every host with Cloud AI cards physically attached.
This separation supports two deployment patterns:
Mode |
Description |
SDK Requirements |
|---|---|---|
Single-Host |
Compilation and execution are combined on the same system. |
Apps SDK + Platform SDK on the same host. |
Offline Compilation (recommended) |
Compile on a dedicated build host and deploy the QPC artifact to one or more inference servers. Compilation does not require Cloud AI hardware. Inference servers require significantly less CPU and memory than build servers. A single QPC can be deployed to many inference servers without recompilation. |
Apps SDK on the build host; Platform SDK on the execution host. |
Installation¶
Platform SDK - install on hosts with Cloud AI cards attached.
Apps SDK - install on build hosts for model compilation.