devkits

DevKits, short for development kits, are collections of hardware and software tools provided by platform holders to developers for building, testing, and optimizing software for a specific platform. A typical DevKit includes a target device or an emulator, a software development kit (SDK), application programming interfaces (APIs), debugging and profiling tools, documentation, and sample code, along with a license to release software on the platform. They enable access to lower-level features, performance characteristics, and testing environments that are not available on consumer devices.

DevKits come in hardware and software forms. Hardware kits may resemble consumer devices but include debug interfaces, extended bootloaders, and additional I/O options to aid development. Software kits provide the libraries, documentation, build systems, and testing frameworks needed to compile and validate applications for the target platform. Access to DevKits is typically restricted through a developer program and may require non-disclosure agreements, eligibility criteria, and fees. Distribution is often limited to approved studios or individuals and may be regionally restricted. Many kits support certification and compliance testing to ensure apps meet platform requirements before submission to an app store or marketplace.

The term also covers development resources for operating systems, cloud platforms, and hardware ecosystems, where developers build, test, and optimize software prior to release. See also software development kit, developer program, emulation, and hardware development kit.