Quick Start

Get a sample running on Board hardware in 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

  • Unity 2021.3 or newer (2022.3 LTS recommended) with Android Build Support (IL2CPP)
  • Download the SDK (.tgz package)
  • The board-connect CLI (installed in Build & Deploy below)

1. Install the SDK

  1. Open Window > Package Manager
  2. Click + and select Add package from tarball…
  3. Select your downloaded .tgz file

2. Run Project Setup Wizard

  1. Open Board > Configure Unity Project…
  2. Click Apply Selected Settings

The wizard configures Android platform, API levels, and Input System automatically.

3. Download a Piece Set Model

  1. Open Edit > Project Settings > Board > Input Settings
  2. Click Load Available Models
  3. Select a model and click Select

4. Import the Sample

  1. Open Window > Package Manager
  2. Select Board SDK from the list
  3. Expand Samples and click Import next to “BoardInput Sample”

5. Build & Deploy

Build the APK

In Unity, open File > Build Settings, confirm the platform is Android, and click Build to produce an .apk. The package name comes from Edit > Project Settings > Player > Other Settings > Package Name (for example com.yourcompany.yourgame); you’ll use it later to launch and view logs.

Install the board-connect CLI

The Board exposes Board Connect, its built-in HTTP API over the LAN, so there’s no USB cable involved. The board-connect CLI drives it.

macOS and Linux:

curl -fsSL https://dev.board.fun/connect/install | sh

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://dev.board.fun/connect/install.ps1 | iex

The installer drops a single binary at ~/.local/bin/board-connect. Add that directory to your PATH if it isn’t already, then verify:

board-connect --version

Pair with your Board (once)

The Board shows its address under Settings > System. Pair once; this saves the Board as your default, so every later command resolves the target on its own.

board-connect pair <address>

Tap Approve on the device when the prompt appears.

Deploy

Install the APK and launch it in a single step. No address is needed once paired.

board-connect install path/to/your-game.apk --launch

After install, your game also lives under Settings > Sideloaded Apps on the Board’s Home screen. To launch or tail logs later, pass the package name from your Player Settings:

board-connect launch com.yourcompany.yourgame
board-connect logs com.yourcompany.yourgame --follow

Prefer a browser? Open the Board Connect web UI at the address shown under Settings > System, drag your .apk onto the page to install, and launch from the Library or Sideloaded Apps.

The legacy bdb (USB) path still works if you need it; see the bdb reference.

Next Steps