A software development kit (SDK) is a set of tools used by software developers to create an application. An SDK enables coders to build applications and add functionality for a specific platform, such as Windows, iOS or Android. It typically includes libraries, a compiler, and other programming tools required to develop applications, such as debuggers and profilers.
SDKs help developers quickly develop applications and take existing, code-level definitions, tools, and techniques and package them into specialized application programming interfaces (APIs) for quick and easy re-use. This helps enable software developers to access existing code without having to learn a completely different language or create their own frame-work and components.
SDKs are widely used in software development, especially for mobile app development and need to be kept up-to-date in order to take advantage of all available tools and programming libraries. SDKs also provide third-party code libraries, which help developers to quickly and easily add functionality and features to their applications without having to code them from scratch.
Depending on the platform, an SDK can range from being highly specialized, catering to either the back-end of a website or mobile app’s front-end, to providing a broad array of tools and libraries that developers can reuse in numerous areas.
SDKs are an important part of modern software development, aiding the growth of a wide range of applications. As the need for user-friendly, feature-rich applications increases, software developers rely on SDKs more and more.
