# Getting started

heliaRT is Ambiq's optimized fork of LiteRT for Microcontrollers. It keeps the model, interpreter and operator-resolver programming model while integrating HELIA kernel adapters.

## Start with your integration

[Choose your path](https://ambiqai.github.io/helia-rt/getting-started/choose-your-path/) to connect heliaRT to Zephyr, neuralSPOT-X, a CMSIS-Pack project or your own firmware build.

### Zephyr

For applications built with west and Kconfig.

[View setup guide](/helia-rt/getting-started/zephyr/)

### neuralSPOT-X

For applications built with Ambiq’s development SDK.

[View setup guide](/helia-rt/getting-started/neuralspot-x/)

### CMSIS-Pack

For projects managed with CMSIS tooling.

[View setup guide](/helia-rt/getting-started/cmsis-pack/)

### Build from source

For control over compiler options and kernel selection.

[View setup guide](/helia-rt/getting-started/source/)

### Prebuilt archive

For firmware that links a released runtime library.

[View setup guide](/helia-rt/getting-started/cmake/)

Have a runtime library integrated already? Follow [First inference](https://ambiqai.github.io/helia-rt/getting-started/first-inference/) for the sequence from model loading to output handling.

## What you need

- A `.tflite` model whose operators and tensor types are supported by your selected runtime backend.
- A toolchain and runtime library built for the same target and compatible compiler options as your application.
- Application-owned memory for the model, resolver and tensor arena.
- A way to feed model inputs and inspect its outputs on your target.

Source builds and prebuilt libraries have different configuration boundaries. Choose the distribution before setting kernel and floating-point options.

:::note[Model compatibility]
A kernel in heliaCORE is not sufficient on its own. heliaRT also needs an adapter for the operator and tensor type used by your model. Registering an operator does not establish that every configuration is supported.
:::

## Learn the runtime contract

[Runtime concepts](https://ambiqai.github.io/helia-rt/guide/runtime/) explains model lifetime, arena ownership, operator registration and backend selection. The [runtime API](https://ambiqai.github.io/helia-rt/reference/runtime/) links each core type to its header.