Software development kit: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:26, 12 March 2006

Revision as of 00:04, 25 March 2006

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A '''software development kit''' ('''SDK)''') is typically a set of development tools that allows a [[software engineer]] to create [[application software|applications]] for a certain [[software]] package, [[software framework]], [[hardware]] platform, [[computer system]], [[video game console]], [[operating system]] or similar.

It may be something as simple as an [[application programming interface]] in the form of some files to interface to a particular [[programming language]], or include sophisticated hardware to communicate with a certain [[embedded system]]. Common [[Software development tools|tools]] include debugging aids such as an [[Integrated development environment|IDE]] and other [[Utility program|utilities]]. SDKs also frequently include sample code and supporting technical notes or other supporting documentation to help clarify points from the primary reference material.

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An SDK for an operating system add-on (for instance, [[QuickTime]] for [[Mac OS]]) may include the add-on software itself, to be used for development purposes, if not necessarily for redistribution. An interesting situation arises here between platforms where it is possible to develop applications that can at least start up on a system configuration without the add-on installed, and use a [[Gestalt (Mac OS)|Gestalt]]-style run-time ''environment query'' to determine if the add-on is present, and ones where the application will simply fail to start. In other words, is it possible to build a single binary that will run on configurations with and without the add-on present, albeit operating with reduced functionality in the latter situation.

Providers of SDKs for specific systems or subsystems may sometimes substitute a more specific term instead of ''software''. For instance, both [[Microsoft]] and [[Apple Computer]] provide '''Driver Development Kits''' ('''DDK)''') for developing [[device driver]]s, and [[PalmSource]] brands its development kit as PalmOS Development Kit (PDK).

==Examples==

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==See also==

* [[List of software development kits]]

[[List of software development kits]]

[[Category:Computer library]]