APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and SDKs (Software Development Kits) are fundamental tools in software development, but they serve different purposes. Understanding their differences ensures efficient development and prevents technical debt.
What is an API?
An API acts as a bridge between different software components, allowing them to communicate without exposing internal logic.
Key Characteristics:
- Lightweight – Only provides specific functions (e.g., fetching weather data).
- Standardized – Follows protocols like REST, GraphQL, or SOAP.
- External Dependency – Relies on a third-party service.
Example API Commands (Linux/cURL):
Fetch data from a REST API
curl -X GET https://api.weather.com/v1/forecast?location=NY
POST data to an API
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/users -d '{"name":"John", "age":30}'
Using API keys for authentication
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" https://api.secure.com/data
What is an SDK?
An SDK is a comprehensive toolkit that includes APIs, libraries, documentation, and tools to build applications for a specific platform.
Key Characteristics:
- All-in-One Package – Contains everything needed for development.
- Platform-Specific – Tailored for Android, iOS, Windows, etc.
- Debugging & Testing Tools – Often includes emulators and profilers.
Example SDK Usage:
Installing Android SDK tools (Linux) sudo apt install android-sdk Using AWS SDK for Python (Boto3) pip install boto3 Initialize Firebase SDK in a project firebase init
You Should Know: When to Use API vs. SDK
When to Choose an API
✅ Single-Function Needs – Need only one service (e.g., payment processing).
✅ Lightweight Integration – Avoid unnecessary bloat in your project.
✅ Third-Party Services – Integrating with platforms like Twitter, Slack, or Stripe.
Example API Use Case:
Using Twitter API to fetch tweets curl "https://api.twitter.com/2/tweets/search/recent?query=linux" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TWITTER_TOKEN"
When to Choose an SDK
✅ Platform-Specific Development – Building Android/iOS apps.
✅ Complex Features – Needing libraries, debuggers, and samples.
✅ Long-Term Projects – SDKs provide updates and backward compatibility.
Example SDK Use Case:
Using Google Cloud SDK for deployment gcloud app deploy Flutter SDK for cross-platform apps flutter run
What Undercode Say
Choosing between an API and an SDK depends on your project’s scope. APIs are best for quick, single-purpose integrations, while SDKs are ideal for full-fledged development.
Essential Commands Recap:
API Testing with Postman (CLI alternative) curl -X GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts SDK Management npm install -g aws-cdk AWS SDK pip install tensorflow Machine Learning SDK Windows API Tools (PowerShell) Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.github.com/users/undercode"
Prediction:
As cloud computing grows, hybrid usage of APIs and SDKs will dominate. Developers will increasingly rely on SDKs for AI/ML integrations while using APIs for microservices.
Expected Output:
A well-structured development workflow that leverages the right tools—APIs for efficiency and SDKs for scalability.
Further Reading:
References:
Reported By: Ashsau Api – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
