# Overview
Source: [https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/overview.html](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/overview.html)
The Qualcomm^®^ Intelligent Multimedia SDK (IM SDK) is a unified SDK across
Internet of Things (IOT) segments. This SDK enables seamless multimedia and AI/ML
application development.
The Qualcomm IM SDK provides the development environment with upstream and Qualcomm [GStreamer](https://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/) plugins as APIs. These APIs are used to develop and optimize
applications, create pipelines, and customize plugins.
The figure shows a high-level overview of the Qualcomm IM SDK environment:
Figure : Qualcomm IM SDK overview
Important:
- Ensure that the host computer uses Ubuntu 22.04.
- The commands in this guide are compatible with Qualcomm Linux 1.3. [Verify your Qualcomm Linux release
version](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70017-253/set_up_the_device.html#check-qualcomm-linux-version).
If your release version is not 1.3, [flash the latest
version](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70017-253/set_up_the_device.html#flash-software).
- The sample applications and AI procedures in this guide are compatible with
the following runtime versions:
- Qualcomm® Neural Processing SDK – v2.29
- Qualcomm® AI Engine direct – v2.29
- TensorFlow Lite (currently known as Lite Runtime or LiteRT) –
v2.16.1
Ensure that you download the matching SDKs to your host computer
before starting AI/ML development.
Get started
[Workflow](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70017-51/install-sdk.html)
[GStreamer plugin architecture](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/architecture.html)
Sample applications
[Installation](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/example-applications.html#example-applications__section_v4g_zxj_5bc)
[AI/ML sample applications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/ai-ml-sample-applications.html)
[Multimedia sample applications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/multimedia-sample-applications.html)
[Python applications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/python-sample-applications.html)
GStreamer command-line use cases
[Machine learning use cases](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/machine-learning-use-cases.html)
[Multimedia use cases](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/multimedia-use-cases.html)
Qualcomm GStreamer plugins
[ML plugins](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/inferencing-plugins.html)
[Display, camera, encode and decode plugins](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/display-plugins.html)
[Audio plugins](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/audio-plugins.html)
GStreamer utilities
[GSt APIs](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/gst-apis.html)
[GSt debugging tools](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/imsdk_debug_gst.html)
[GStD](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70017-50/topic/gstreamer-daemon.html)
Note: See [Hardware SoCs](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/topics/80-70017-115/soc.html) that are supported on
Qualcomm^®^ Linux^®^.
This video enables you to understand and use the Qualcomm IM SDK for creating
applications on Qualcomm Linux. The video will open in a new tab.
Last Published: Oct 01, 2026
[Next Topic
Sample applications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-70017-50/topics/example-applications.md)