Explaining API vs SDK to Non-Technical Person
MediumUpdated: Jan 11, 2025
Problem
How would you explain the difference between an API and SDK to a non-technical person?
Examples
Example 1
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
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
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.