Understanding KEIL MDK User-Based Licensing (UBL) and Its Benefits
Perpetual licenses have been a trusted option for Keil MDK users for many years. However, as development environments become more connected and automated, Keil MDK User-Based Licensing (UBL) offers additional flexibility for modern development teams.
Why consider UBL?
- User-based access – Licenses are assigned to users rather than individual machines, making it easier to work across multiple approved systems.
- Supports modern development workflows – Integrates well with CI/CD pipelines, automated build environments, and distributed development teams using Keil MDK.
- Designed for VS Code and modern IDE workflows – Enables engineers to take advantage of today's development ecosystem, including VS Code extensions, AI-assisted coding tools, and productivity-enhancing integrations while continuing to use Keil development tools.
- Simplified license management – Provides administrators with greater visibility and control over license allocation and usage across engineering teams.
- Access to the latest Arm tools – Includes current Arm development tools such as Arm Compiler for Embedded (Arm Compiler 6), along with ongoing updates and enhancements.
- Legacy toolchain support – UBL Professional also provides access to older Arm toolchains when maintaining existing products and long-term projects.
Perpetual licenses remain a valid option for many projects, but for organizations adopting modern development practices, Keil MDK UBL offers a flexible licensing model aligned with today's engineering workflows.
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