What is SDK Technology? Danielle Gatsos UW Smart Phones-MCDM
Creative Commons 7/31/10
SDK stands for Software Development Kit.
It is a set of development tools that facilitate the creation
of applications for specific software.
SDK can be utilized for all types of platforms
There are various levels of complexity in SDK. Simple API
interfaces to specific programming language Complex Sophisticated
hardware links with embedded system.
We often see SDK used for debugging and other utilities in an
integrated development environment .
How it works. Target System Developer writes SDK SDK is
manipulated to produce a new application Software engineer
Downloads SDK. SDK is made available on the internet
Often SDKs are free to encourage more developers to purchase
the application.
Some SDKs have licenses that restrict use. Proprietary SDK
Typically wont work with Free Software SDK under General Public
License Proprietary SDK
There is one type of SDK license that is typically universal.
SDK under Lesser General Public License Proprietary SDK
Apple and Microsoft refer to their SDKs as Driver Development
Kits because they are created for specific systems or subsystems.
Trying to Sound Fancy
You can download SDKs for iPhones and Androids directly from
their websites and begin producing apps.
SDK development can occur in 1 of 2 ways with smartphones. 1.
Build for a specific version that is forward-compatible with later
versions but cannot take advantage of new features. 2. Build for a
range of versions, so it can launch in older versions but take
advantage of new features as well.
Software Development Kits make it easy for the development of
compatible applications on all types of platforms by providing a
specified framework for developers.
Sources Overview of SDK Based Development. Retrieved on July
30, 2010 from
http://developer.apple.com/iphone/library/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/cross_development/Overview/overview.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20002001-BABEBGCF
SDK. Webopedia: Internet.com. Retrieved on July 30, 2010 from
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SDK.html