API vs SDK

API or application programming interface, and SDK or software development kit are popular acronyms in the programming world. The terms are related but are distinctly different. To understand the difference between an API and an SDK, let’s start by defining each term. From there, we’ll be able to explain how developers use them.

What is an API?

Imagine you visit the local ice cream shop and want to pick a flavor. You don't walk up and ask for Vanilla with Sweet Saracha sauce; chances are they don't know what you're talking about. Instead, you look at a menu to understand the flavors available and interact with an employee to place your order. In the world of computers, this is similar to how an API (Application Programming Interface) works. An API is like the menu of options that a shop provides. It lists the ice creams, along with descriptions of each one. It acts as a bridge between you (the customer) and the shop (the software or service), allowing you to request and receive data or functionality without understanding how to make ice cream.

APIs are like a common language that different software programs use to communicate. Just as people from different parts of the world may speak different languages, different software systems often "speak" different languages too. APIs help them understand and work with each other, regardless of their underlying technologies. For instance, when you type your home address into a mapping app on your smartphone, it fetches data from a remote server using an API. The app sends a request to the API, which sends back routing details in a format the app understands, allowing your phone to display the quickest route to your destination from your current location.

If you've ever played with building blocks as a child, think of APIs as those building blocks for developers. These pre-made, reusable components save time and effort. Developers can use APIs to integrate features, services, or data into their applications without having to recreate everything from scratch. For example, a weather application can use a weather API to display the current temperature, a social media app can use APIs to share content with other platforms, and so on. APIs make it easier for developers to create new and exciting software by leveraging the work of others in a safe and controlled way.

In essence, APIs allow different software systems to talk to each other, just like menus at an ice cream shop help you choose a flavor.

What is an SDK?

In our ice cream shop scenario, we've already discussed how an API is like the menu, offering a variety of ice cream flavors and descriptions. Now, let's introduce the concept of an SDK. You're at the ice cream shop, and you want to create your perfect banana split. You approach the counter, and the shop offers you a specialized "Banana Split Builder's Kit" or SDK. This kit includes not only the menu but also all the tools and ingredients you need to construct your banana split masterpiece.

Just as the banana split kit provides you with instructions, a long-shaped dish, a scooper, vanilla ice cream, toppings, and a ripe banana, an SDK, in the software world, offers developers a set of essential tools and pre-made code components. These tools act as spoons and long-shaped dishes for creating applications. They ensure that developers have all the necessary elements to build their software efficiently and in a standardized manner.

With the banana split kit, you follow the step-by-step instructions (documentation). Start by placing the banana in the dish, then add scoops of your favorite ice cream flavors and toppings. In the same way, developers use the SDK to assemble their applications. They combine the provided tools and ingredients (code components and development libraries) to construct software that interacts with an API (the menu) and other systems, like adding scoops of ice cream and toppings to create a delicious banana split.

The SDK ensures you create your banana split without needing a professional chef. Similarly, in the software world, an SDK streamlines the development process, saving developers time and effort by enabling them to use an API without becoming experts in all the technical details of your API.

How to work directly with an API

When developers use an API without an SDK, they work directly with the API's endpoints and data formats using their code and tools. Imagine making a banana split without a knife to cut the banana, spoons to scoop the ice cream, and spread the toppings. Don’t forget you need a dish to put your masterpiece into. If you’ve never made a banana split before, this can be daunting. Through trial and error, you’d eventually get the job done. Working with a new API without an SDK can feel the same way.

You’d start by studying the documentation provided by the API provider. This documentation explains the available endpoints, the structure of data the API can provide or interact with, and the methods for making requests to the API.

Armed with the API documentation, you would write all the code in a programming language of your choice. This code specifies how to make HTTP requests to the API's endpoints and how to handle the data that comes back in response. If the API requires authentication, you’ll return to the documentation to understand how to generate authentication tokens or keys and properly sign your API requests.

Once you’ve successfully authenticated and retrieved data, it will likely be in JSON, a language-agnostic data format many APIs use. More code will be needed to process and parse the data received from the API's response into your programming language’s preferred data structure. You’ll want to include error-handling code to manage issues that may arise when working with the API, such as network errors, API rate limits, or unexpected responses.

Finally, you’re ready to integrate the API calls into your application, where the data retrieved or actions performed through the API are used to enhance the functionality of your application.

Using an API without an SDK indeed gives developers greater flexibility and control over the integration process. Still, it also requires more effort in terms of writing and maintaining custom code. Developers are responsible for ensuring their code aligns with the API's requirements and staying up-to-date with any changes made to the API. This approach can be more time-consuming and may require a deeper understanding of HTTP requests and data handling compared to using an SDK, which simplifies many of these aspects.

How to use an SDK with an API

When a developer uses an API with an SDK (Software Development Kit), the process becomes more streamlined and user-friendly. Let’s look at how developers can work with SDKs instead of directly with an API.

Developers begin by installing the SDK provided by the API provider. This SDK is a package or set of tools, libraries, and pre-made code components that simplify the interaction with the API. It's often specific to a particular programming language or platform.

SDKs typically come with documentation that explains how to use them, including available functions, methods, and classes. This documentation is focused on making the API integration as easy as possible. The developer initializes the SDK in their application, typically by including the necessary SDK files and initializing any required configuration, such as API keys or authentication tokens. With the SDK in place, the developer can use its pre-built functions and methods to interact with the API. These functions encapsulate the complexity of making HTTP requests and handling responses. For example, instead of manually crafting HTTP requests, the developer can call a function like getFlavors() to retrieve a list of available flavors from an ice cream API.

SDKs often include tools for parsing and handling the data returned by the API. This simplifies extracting and using the data in the developer's application and built-in error-handling mechanisms, making it easier for developers to manage issues that may arise when working with the API.

Developers integrate the SDK's functions and methods into their applications, allowing them to leverage the API's functionality without writing much boilerplate code. This streamlines the development process and reduces the time and effort required for integration.

Using an SDK with an API provides developers with a convenient and efficient way to access and utilize the API's features. It abstracts many technical details, making the integration process more accessible, even for those with less expertise in HTTP requests and data parsing. API providers can leverage SDKs so developers stay up-to-date with any changes to the API.

Conclusion

So, whether you prefer to order from the menu or use a specialized kit to create your ice cream masterpiece, both APIs and SDKs have unique roles and advantages in software development. Just like choosing your favorite ice cream flavor or crafting a delicious banana split, it ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. And with that, I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry!