What’s an SDK? How to Use It to Accelerate Development
Like an API, an SDK (Software Development Kit) can enhance the functionality of your application. Software vendors create SDKs to enable developers to build quickly with their platforms.
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Learn more about SDKs and how to use the AWS (Amazon Web Services) Python SDK, Boto3, to create a messaging service.
What’s an SDK?
SDKs come with many tools and programs. The tools can be compilers,APIs, and code samples. Some SDKs include debuggers, deployment tools, and IDEs (Integrated Development Environments).
you may use an SDK in various ways. In most cases, you purchase or simply install it if it’s available for free. Next, integrate it with your application or create one within an integrated environment.
Once installed, you can use the components of the SDK to develop your application. The following tutorial shows how SDKs function using the AWS Python SDK boto3.
How to Use AWS Boto3 SDK
The AWS SDK for Python is one of the many SDKs you may use to build applications and services on AWS. In this case, you will use Boto3 to create a messaging service with AWS Simple Queue Services (SQS). This service can queue and stores messages for your application.
If you arepreparing for AWS certification, using SDKs is a great way to practice. You will learn a lot about how automation works behind the scenes.
To use this SDK, you need to have an Amazon account with privileges to use the SDK services. In this case, you will use AWS CloudShell, an online shell that you can use to interact with AWS services. If you are using AWS CLI on your local machine, followAWS Boto3 documentationto learn how to integrate it.
To begin, open theCloudShellin your browser. Then install the Boto3 version with the following command:
It should look like this:
Next, open the Python interpreter and import Boto3 using the following commands:
You should see output similar to this:
Now that you have the SDK in the environment, you can use it to create a queue for your messages. To create a new queue, first define the SQS service with the following command:
Then create a queue and name ittest-queue.You can add attributes to indicate intervals between the messages. This tells Boto3 how long to wait until it processes the next message on the queue.
If you don’t add a delay period, Boto3 will process messages at its own speed.
To check whether SQS created the queue, print out the URL with the following command:
You should see a URL that looks something likehttps://sqs.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/739467826705/test-queue.
Now that you have the queue, you need to add the first message to the queue. First, get the queue you wish to add the message with the following command:
Then, add your message to the queue:
To print out the message from the queue:
You should seeHello, Customer!!!printed on the terminal.
you could also delete the message with the following command:
It will return a response to show you the ID and time of the deleted message. This shows that the deletion was successful.
you could send up to 10 messages at once; SQS will store messages until you process them. The batch size of the queues is about 256 KB.
Benefits of Using SDKs
Developers enjoy using SDKs because of their numerous use cases and many benefits.
Fast Deployment
SDKs come with tools, libraries, and other essential components needed in development. You can build and deploy your applications faster than if you built from scratch. SDKs incorporate programming languages, devices, and operating systems. They also provide the necessary tools to deploy on multiple platforms.
Efficient Development
The pre-built components and other assistive tools in SDKs ensure efficient development. Programs, compilers, and libraries avail the right tools to build the application. You also have access to code samples that you can tailor to the application’s needs.AWS has SDKs for eight popular programming languagesthat you can use for your app.
Enhanced Functionality
You can quickly enhance the features of your application using an SDK. In the tutorial, you created a message queuing service using the Python SDK to connect to the SQS service. Creating such a feature from scratch needs a lot of expertise and time. With an SDK, it takes a few minutes.
Easy Integration
Applications built independently can experience incompatibility with other software programs. Since SDKs contain all the needed tools, they are less likely to clash with other programs.
Also, pre-built components and programs undergo extensive tests before being available for use. Anyone working with SDK has an easy time.
Additionally, SDKs have detailed documentation to guide your development process. So in case you experience problems, the documentation can assist you.
Cost Savings
Working with SDKs can reduce the amount of time and money needed to develop applications. The pre-built components help to build and enhance the functionality of your app.
Without SDKS, you have to find the right tools and incorporate them into your application. On platforms like AWS, SDKs come as a package with other services. You can access an advanced toolkit that would have cost alot of money to purchase on your own. Some SDKs are available for free.
Application deployments are challenging for many developers. Major cloud service providers likeAWS, Microsoft, and Azurehave the needed tools to assist with deployment. When you deploy using their platforms, the process is seamless.
You also get to reduce the deployment costs and get help with the maintenance of the application. Vendors can provide the necessary information needed to manage your application.
Why Use SDKs?
SDKs are easy to integrate, as demonstrated by the above tutorial. They are an exclusive package that can help you quicken your development process.
you’re able to use SDKs in mobile and web development, game development, and cloud computing. With SDKs, you have access to complex services like AI, and machine learning.
you’re able to quickly develop world-class applications with SDKs in a matter of minutes. Why not start today?
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