When SDKs Are Better Than APIs

Maybe SDKs are better than bad APIs, but a good, truly RESTful API has the power and ease of use you seem to see it SDKs. The problem is the lack of good APIs. Returning a JSON list isn't enough anymore. The presentation [1] by apigee on RESTful APIs sums it up quite well.

I also disagree with this:

> "SDKs [...] abstract the detail of underlying communications"

Sure they do, but so does the Python Requests module for APIs. If anything, SDKs are more limited by their abstractions, when the abstractions are tied to a specific platform. APIs are about opening up data to be consumed programmatically by any client that can curl a URL, like the fabled microwave that runs 'nix.

[1] http://www.slideshare.net/apigee/restful-api-design-second-e...

There's this super stealthy startup right now that's trying to solve this: http://apiweb.io

Keep it on the dl.