Problem

How would you explain the difference between an API and SDK to a non-technical person?

Examples

Example 1

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Input: "What is the difference between an API and an SDK?"
Output: "An API is like a menu in a restaurant: it tells you what you can order. An SDK is like the kitchen, ingredients, and tools that help you actually make the food. The API lets you interact with a service, while the SDK gives you everything you need to build with it."
Explanation: The analogy helps a non-technical person understand that an API is about communication and options, while an SDK is a full toolkit for building.

Example 2

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Input: "Explain API vs SDK for a mobile app."
Output: "An API is a set of rules that lets your app talk to another service, like getting weather data. An SDK is a package with code, documentation, and tools that helps you build the app and use the API easily."
Explanation: This example uses a mobile app context to clarify the difference.

Example 3

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Input: "If I want to use Google Maps in my app, what is the API and what is the SDK?"
Output: "The API is the set of instructions for asking Google Maps for directions or locations. The SDK is the bundle that includes those instructions plus ready-made code, examples, and tools to help you add maps to your app quickly."
Explanation: This example uses a real-world product to illustrate the distinction.

Solution

Conceptual Answer & Comparison Table

Intuition

To help a non-technical person understand, use analogies and a simple comparison table. Think of an API as a menu in a restaurant (it tells you what you can order), and an SDK as the kitchen, ingredients, and tools that help you actually make the food.

Conceptual Comparison Table

Feature API (Application Programming Interface) SDK (Software Development Kit)
What is it? A set of rules or instructions for interacting with a service or software A full toolkit with code, documentation, examples, and tools to help you build applications
Analogy Menu in a restaurant Kitchen, ingredients, and cooking tools
Purpose Lets you communicate or request information from another system Lets you build and use the API easily
What it includes Only the interface (what you can do) Everything needed to build: API, code,
Can exist alone? Yes Usually includes an API
Example Weather API lets you ask for weather data Weather SDK gives you code, docs, and tools to add weather features to your app

Conceptual Explanation

  • API: Like a menu, it tells you what you can ask for, but doesn’t help you cook the food.
  • SDK: Like the kitchen and tools, it gives you everything you need to make the food, including the menu (API).

Summary: An API is about communication and options; an SDK is a full toolkit for building with those options.