> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/zed-sdk/linux/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.stereolabs.com/_mcp/server. # How to Install ZED SDK on Linux ## Download and Install the ZED SDK The [ZED SDK](https://www.stereolabs.com/developers/release/) for Linux contains all the drivers and libraries that power your camera along with tools that let you test its features and settings. > **Note** > > * **Is a GPU required?** Yes. The ZED SDK requires an NVIDIA® GPU with [Compute Capability](https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-gpus#compute) 7.5 or higher, based on the **Turing** micro-architecture or more recent. The SDK cannot run on machines without a compatible NVIDIA® GPU, including for recording SVO files. See the [recommended specifications](/docs/development/zed-sdk/specifications/) for the complete requirements. > * **Is CUDA required?** Yes. If CUDA is not already present on your system, the ZED SDK installer offers to download and install it for you, so you do not need to install it beforehand. A compatible NVIDIA® GPU and driver must still be present for CUDA to work. * Download the [ZED SDK](https://www.stereolabs.com/developers/release/) for Linux. * Go to the folder where the installer has been downloaded. ```bash cd path/to/download/folder ``` * If you don't have it installed already, install `zstd`. It will be needed for the installer to run. ```bash sudo apt install zstd ``` * Add execution permission to the installer using the `chmod +x` command. Make sure to replace the installer name with the version you downloaded. ```bash chmod +x ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run ``` * Run the ZED SDK installer. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run ``` * At the beginning of the installation, the Software License will be displayed, hit `q` after reading it. * During the installation, you might have to answer some questions about installing dependencies, tools, and samples. Type `y` for yes or `n` for no, then hit `Enter`. Hit `Enter` to pick the default option. Once the installer finishes, the ZED SDK is installed in `/usr/local/zed`. If you plan to use Python, install the [Python API](/docs/development/api-languages/python) next: the installer offers to do it for you, and you can also run the `get_python_api.py` script from `/usr/local/zed` at any time. ## Installing in silent mode The silent-mode installation allows you to install specific configurations of the ZED SDK. It removes any display or manual configuration options during the installation process. The installer can be launched in silent mode with the `-- silent` option (with a space between `--` and `silent`). ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent ``` ### Installing Runtime version only To install the ZED SDK without any static libraries, headers, tools, or samples, add the `runtime_only` option. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent runtime_only ``` ### Installing SDK without checking CUDA To install the ZED SDK without checking that CUDA is installed, add the `skip_cuda` option. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent skip_cuda ``` ### Installing SDK without Object Detection To install the ZED SDK without the AI module (required for Object Detection, Body Tracking, and Neural Depth), add the `skip_od_module` option. Without the AI module, image capture, SVO recording, and `DEPTH_MODE::NONE` remain available, while the `NEURAL`, `NEURAL_LIGHT`, and `NEURAL_PLUS` depth modes are not. Because SVO files store only raw images, depth can be computed later from these recordings on a system that has the AI module installed. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent skip_od_module ``` ### Installing SDK without Python Wrapper To install the ZED SDK without the Python wrapper, add the `skip_python` option. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent skip_python ``` ### Installing SDK without `sl_hub` To install the ZED SDK without `sl_hub`, add the `skip_hub` option. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent skip_hub ``` ### Installing SDK without Tools To install the ZED SDK without any tools or samples, add the `skip_tools` option. ```bash ./ZED_SDK_UbuntuXX_cudaYY.Y_vZ.Z.Z.zstd.run -- silent skip_tools ``` ## Setup CUDA CUDA is an NVIDIA® library used by the ZED SDK to run fast AI and computer vision tasks on your graphics card. During the ZED SDK installation, if CUDA is not detected on your computer, the installer offers to download and install it for you. **Follow the steps below if you are installing CUDA manually.** * Download and install CUDA from the [CUDA Toolkit](https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-toolkit-archive) archive. * On the CUDA download page, select the following options. We recommend downloading a deb (network) version: * `Linux` * `x86_64` * `Ubuntu` * your Ubuntu version (for example `24.04` or `22.04`) * `deb (network)` ![image](/_fern-img/92ed9f922fad148af83a52cb9f56f47a679c5d3d290411606847de2aa4b39b3b.webp) * Find out what Ubuntu release you are running by reading `/etc/lsb-release`. ```bash source /etc/lsb-release UBUNTU_VERSION=ubuntu${DISTRIB_RELEASE/./} ``` * Add the CUDA `apt` repository. ```bash wget https://developer.download.nvidia.com/compute/cuda/repos/${UBUNTU_VERSION}/x86_64/cuda-keyring_1.1-1_all.deb sudo dpkg -i cuda-keyring_1.1-1_all.deb ``` * Update the `apt` repository cache. ```bash sudo apt-get update ``` * Install CUDA. We recommend specifying the exact CUDA version you're installing. The required CUDA version depends on the ZED SDK installer you downloaded, as recent releases are available for both CUDA 12 and CUDA 13; check the [release page](https://www.stereolabs.com/developers/release/) for the exact pairing. ```bash # Example for a ZED SDK installer built for CUDA 12.8 sudo apt-get -y install cuda-12-8 ``` ## Restart your computer At the end of the installation, restart your system to make sure your paths are updated. ## Upgrade the ZED SDK To upgrade the ZED SDK, download the latest installer from the [ZED SDK Download](https://www.stereolabs.com/developers/release/) page and run it, as described in [Download and Install the ZED SDK](#download-and-install-the-zed-sdk). There is no need to uninstall the previous version first: the installer replaces the installed version with the new one. > **Note** > > The same procedure also works to **downgrade** the ZED SDK: download the installer of the older version you need and run it. The installer replaces the currently installed version with the selected one. > **Note** > > For each minor release (for example, 5.0.x or 5.1.x), the [ZED SDK Download](https://www.stereolabs.com/developers/release/) page only offers the latest patch release. Patch releases fix bugs and issues found in the previous patch releases of the same minor version, so the latest one is always the recommended choice. ## Uninstall the ZED SDK The ZED SDK installer does not provide an uninstall script. To remove it, delete the installation folder: ```bash sudo rm -rf /usr/local/zed ``` If you installed the [Python API](/docs/development/api-languages/python), you can also remove it with: ```bash python3 -m pip uninstall pyzed ``` > **Note** > > CUDA is installed separately and is **not** removed together with the ZED SDK. If you no longer need it, remove the corresponding `cuda-XX-X` packages with `apt`. ## Docs - [How to Install ZED SDK on NVIDIA® Jetson™](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/zed-sdk/linux/work-with-nvidia-jetson.md) - [Using the ZED SDK with a Virtual Display on NVIDIA® Jetson™](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/zed-sdk/linux/work-with-nvidia-jetson/virtual-display-headless-mode.md)