What is the difference between sdk and api

An SDK, or Software Development Kit, is a set of tools, guidelines, and programs used to develop applications for a specific platform. Suggested by the name, an SDK is a kit for developing software. SDKs boast a set of robust features and functionalities which reduce the complexity of developing programs and applications. In some situations an SDK is critical. To learn more about SDKs, check out the full guide and see how to get started here.

For example, the Cocoa Touch set includes accelerometer support, camera support, multi-touch events and controls, and other graphical control elements. The iOS SDK also includes an iPhone simulator, which lets developers test their applications from their computer on a simulated iPhone. SDKs are powerful tools used to create new applications since they include a variety of utilities.

APIs and SDKs are similar, so it can be difficult to understand exactly what the difference between the two is, or when you should choose to use one or the other. In this piece, we will attempt to create an inclusive definition of both concepts. We will give an example of each, explain how they interact with one another, and find how an API provider can effectively implement one or both of these tools to improve their offering and end developer usability. An API is simply an interface that allows software to interact with other software.

Think of an API as a Rosetta stone, a tablet by which two vastly different languages, two different instruction sets, can be translated and transferred for mutual understanding. APIs come in many shapes and sizes. The browser that a reader would likely use to peruse the Nordic APIs website uses a variety of API sets in order to convert user commands into usable functions, request data from servers, render that data into a viewable format for the user, and validate the performance of their requests.

Even something as simple as copying and pasting on a computer utilizes an API. Copying text converts a keystroke into a command, data is stored into RAM on the clipboard utilizing an API, the data is then carried from one application to another using that same API, and finally, data is rendered when pasting using yet another API. On the world wide web, the API takes on a slightly different function. Web APIs allow for interaction between disparate systems, often for specific use cases.

Ultimately, a web API is simply a set of instructions, just like the personal computer API, but based in the web space. Perhaps most important is the fact that APIs allow for consistency. In the early years of programming, the computer was a wild west of commands and instructions, loosely coded and rarely documented.

With the advent of modern computing, APIs have allowed for consistent coding in stable environments, allowing for replicable functions to be delivered the same every time the request is submitted with reliability and predictability. Think about putting together a model car or plane. When constructing this model, a whole kit of items is needed, including the kit pieces themselves, the tools needed to put them together, assembly instructions, and so forth. Neither term is very precise without some context.

Caleb Caleb What is SDK? I share your sentiment as well as that of Calebit's such a massive and meta term like the indefinite amount of dev roles we have in any given engineering firm. I'm all out of acronyms. JeffO JeffO Quick, get yourself some more TLAs! Scorchio Scorchio 4 4 bronze badges. Solomon Slow Solomon Slow 1, 8 8 silver badges 14 14 bronze badges. My two cents: I believe the term API is often used incorrectly.

And an SDK is a kind of library, so that's where the confusion might be. Aviv Cohn Aviv Cohn I agree. I'd probably stop short of saying that it's "incorrect". This ship has sailed and use of "API" has shifted.

I would like to compare this way. Arun Arun Peter Peter 1. The Overflow Blog. Podcast Explaining the semiconductor shortage, and how it might end. Does ES6 make JavaScript frameworks obsolete? Featured on Meta. An API can help connect your apps or projects to external services, enabling seamless data transfer and adding a new feature altogether.

On the other hand, SDKs are a set of tools used to develop applications for a specific platform. For example, you are a chef.

In the same way, SDK provides all the things you need to create your intended application. SDKs are crucial when developing an app for a specific platform. An SDK should add value to a developer. Hence it should be easy to use, provides a thorough explanation of the code used, and adds functionality to an existing app. Meanwhile, SDKs have a collection of utilities to create a new application or add new functionalities. According to Google , mobile users spend nine out of ten minutes using only their top five favorite apps.