applications: Add SoftDevice flashing application

CODEOWNERS

@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
 # Applications
 /applications/installer/                  @nrfconnect/ncs-eris
+/applications/firmware_loader/            @nrfconnect/ncs-eris
+/applications/softdevice/                 @nrfconnect/ncs-co-build-system
 
 # Boards
 /boards/                                  @nrfconnect/ncs-co-boards @nrfconnect/ncs-bm
@@ -61,7 +63,6 @@
 # Samples
 /samples/bluetooth/                       @nrfconnect/ncs-bm
 /samples/boot/                            @nrfconnect/ncs-eris
-/applications/firmware_loader/            @nrfconnect/ncs-eris
 /samples/peripherals/bm_zms/              @nrfconnect/ncs-bm @rghaddab
 /samples/peripherals/                     @nrfconnect/ncs-bm
 

applications/softdevice/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2025 Nordic Semiconductor ASA
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Nordic-5-Clause
+#
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20.0)
+
+find_package(Zephyr
+  COMPONENTS zephyr_default:kconfig
+  REQUIRED HINTS $ENV{ZEPHYR_BASE}
+)
+
+project(softdevice)
+
+# Manually include board configuration to enable automatic runners.yaml generation
+include(${BOARD_DIR}/board.cmake OPTIONAL)
+
+# Create the runners_yaml_props_target that flash system expects
+add_custom_target(runners_yaml_props_target)
+
+# Set hex_file property to point to zephyr.hex in this directory
+set_target_properties(runners_yaml_props_target PROPERTIES
+  hex_file "${CONFIG_SOFTDEVICE_FILE}"
+)
+
+# Override the runners.yaml path to use CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR/zephyr instead of
+# PROJECT_BINARY_DIR, this ensures runners.yaml is generated at <build>/softdevice/zephyr where
+# west expects it
+set(PROJECT_BINARY_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr)
+
+# Include flash support to automatically generate runners.yaml
+include(${ZEPHYR_BASE}/cmake/flash/CMakeLists.txt)

applications/softdevice/Kconfig

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2025 Nordic Semiconductor ASA
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Nordic-5-Clause
+#
+
+config SOFTDEVICE_FILE
+	string "SoftDevice file (informative only, do not change)"
+
+source "Kconfig.zephyr"

applications/softdevice/README.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+.. _softdevice_flasher_application:
+
+SoftDevice flasher application
+##############################
+
+This is a project used by sysbuild to flash the SoftDevice image automatically when ``west flash`` is invoked.
+It is not for user modification or for attempting to build by itself.

applications/softdevice/prj.conf

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Nothing here

doc/nrf-bm/release_notes/release_notes_changelog.rst

@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ Boards
 
 * Removed unused peripheral nodes from Devicetree.
 
+Build system
+============
+
+* Added automatic flashing of SoftDevice files for projects that do not use MCUboot when ``west flash`` is invoked.
+
 DFU
 ===
 

sysbuild/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -94,6 +94,17 @@ function(bm_install_setup)
         BUILD_ONLY y
       )
     endif()
+  else()
+    if(NOT SB_CONFIG_SOFTDEVICE_NONE)
+      ExternalZephyrProject_Add(
+        APPLICATION softdevice
+        SOURCE_DIR ${ZEPHYR_NRF_BM_MODULE_DIR}/applications/softdevice
+      )
+
+      set_config_string(softdevice CONFIG_SOFTDEVICE_FILE ${SB_CONFIG_SOFTDEVICE_FILE})
+      sysbuild_add_dependencies(CONFIGURE ${DEFAULT_IMAGE} softdevice)
+      sysbuild_add_dependencies(FLASH ${DEFAULT_IMAGE} softdevice)
+    endif()
   endif()
 endfunction()