Software development kit (SDK)
A software development kit (SDK) is a set of tools, libraries, documentation and samples for building applications for a particular platform, system or service
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
It usually includes compilers or debuggers, code libraries, emulators and guides. For example, the Android SDK is used to build apps for that system, and payment, mapping or analytics services provide SDKs so they can be integrated into an app without coding everything from scratch.
It differs from an API in that the API is the interface that defines how to communicate with a service, while the SDK is the toolkit that makes it easier to use. Adding a third-party SDK to an app brings features but also extra size, dependencies and possible privacy implications that should be reviewed.
Also known as
SDK, Devkit
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