What is SDK?

 SDK stands for software development kit or devkit for short. It’s a set of software tools and programs used by developers to create applications for specific platforms.

SDK tools will include a range of things, including libraries, documentation, code samples, processes, and guides that developers can use and integrate into their own apps. SDKs are designed to be used for specific platforms or programming languages.

Thus you would need an Android SDK toolkit to build an Android app, an iOS SDK to build an iOS app, a VMware SDK for integrating with the VMware platform, or a Nordic SDK for building Bluetooth or wireless products, and so on.

The Characteristics of a Good SDK

Because your mobile SDK is meant to be used outside your organization, it has to provide value to other businesses and their developers. That value is dependent on your SDK having the following characteristics:

• Easy to use by other developers
• Thorough documentation to explain how your code works
• Enough functionality so it adds value to other apps
• Does not negatively impact a mobile device’s CPU, battery, or data consumption
• Plays well with other SDKs

In short, it just has to work. Ideally, it should work elegantly, but when time is of the essence, as long as it gets the job done, it should be good enough.

How Will a Mobile SDK Benefit Your Brand?

There are several distinct advantages to providing an SDK download for your app.

Quicker Integration -> Shorter Sales Cycles

Let’s face it: if you’re trying to close more deals, having a mobile SDK speeds these deals along. Your devkit will help shorten the sales cycle because it makes integrating with a customer’s existing tech stack much easier.

Efficient Development -> Faster Deployment

When you take into consideration the fact that the average Android app will use around 18.2 third-party SDKs** (even more if your app is a game), you’ll quickly see that no software developer has the time to code every single tool from scratch.