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Kevin Grifo
9,824 PointsSDK vs API?
Can someone give a more detailed explanation of the difference between SDKs and APIs? Thanks
2 Answers
Brendon Butler
4,254 PointsAn SDK (Software Development Kit). Is typically a set of tools or software that allow you to build software for a platform. Examples: JDK (Java Development Kit), Game Engines, etc.
An API (Application Programming Interface) is an interface that allows different software to interact with each other.
Lets say you have a banking application. And you want other programs to be able to integrate with it. The important code is typically obfuscated and private. While the rest of the code is accessible to the user. These would include methods such as withdrawing and depositing money. The hidden elements would be things like public/private key generation, user accounts, etc.
If this were an SDK, all of this information would typically be public. So you probably wouldnt want to develop a "banking" SDK for a company. Instead, you would create an API.
Kevin Grifo
9,824 PointsGreat explanation I truly appreciate the response!