A Software Development Kit, SDK for short, is a set of pre-written tools that provide app developers functionality that they don't have to write themselves.

Mobile SDKs come in a variety of flavors and offer an even wider variety of functionality. From development tools that help you write apps using Javascript to making more money, SDKs are an easy way to speed up the development of an app without having to reinvent the wheel for every feature.

And, it's worth noting that most apps use at least one SDK. Be it for analytics, graphics, or mapping.

Do you need to use a mobile SDK?

Probably! Using pre-written code can really help speed up app development, and in some cases even offer functionality that you may not be able to get otherwise.

The most common types of SDKs you'll see in most apps include: ads & monetization SDKs, analytics SDKs, and non-native development SDKs. But there are many others, like simple networking utilities, payments, notifications, and others.

Which mobile SDKs should you use?

Depending on your app, which types and actual SDKs you use would be different. When evaluating adding a new SDK consider how much it'll add to your app's download size, how much to you really need the functionality it offers, and how popular it is.