Today we are comparing SDK and API. Read this article to see how businesses save millions by using APIs. On our channel, we share thoughts on recent developments in the tech industry. Follow us not to miss new videos!
What is an SDK?
SDK stands for Software Development Kit. It is a collection of software development tools in one installable package.
They facilitate the app development process. So SDK contains:
- Documents
- Code samples
- APIs
- Code libraries.
How SDK works?
SDKs work with specific programming languages, SDKs are easy to use because the goal is to make the jobs of developers easier and SDKs save developers from writing code for already existing functionalities.
Examples of SDK
- A good example is Android SDK. They have all the elements needed to create the app such as sample source code, debugger, required libraries, amongst other things.
- Another example is Cloud SDK for Google Cloud Platforms – these contain tools that you need to manage applications and software in a Google Cloud Platform. You can find the following tools — gsutil, gcloud, and bq command line tools.
What is an API?
APIs which stand for Application Programming Interfaces, make the software development process easy by permitting a seamless and secure data transfer between two apps. It also helps to improve the exchange of functionality between two applications. For more information, we highly recommend checking out the article “What is API”
So actually, APIs allow two applications to talk to each other, relaying data from one end to another.
Examples of APIs
- Login with Facebook. When using websites, you can often find the option to log in using your Facebook account. It means that the website uses Facebook API to integrate their service and help users skip the sign-up process.
- Third-party payments can be another example. You can often see the payment options of Paypal, Apple Pay or Google Pay. It means that the payment system integrates these services through API.
So What Are The Key Differences Between SDK and API?
In spite, both concepts are indeed overlapped and interrelated. Let’s make their differences distinct.
- An API establishes communication between two applications while SDK is the toolbox you need to build applications.
- An SDK may contain APIs, but APIs cannot contain SDKs, SDKs are easy to use and faster to integrate while APIs don’t have code libraries and are easy to modify.
- APIs deliver a request from one app to another software and deliver a response back to the requesting app while SDKs contain all you need to communicate with another software and all you need to build software.
- Devs always use an SDK to build apps, but APIs only come in when there is a need to have external communication with other platforms.
In fact, APIs and SDKs are solution-bringers to developers, but each one is special in its way.
This article was prepared by the EZtek team. EZtek helps top brands worldwide to innovate and accelerate digital transformation. We provide world-class enterprise software engineering, design, and technology consulting services. Thank you for reading this blog.
