SDKs

Ably provides SDKs for a wide range of platforms and programming languages, enabling you to build realtime applications on your platform of choice.

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SDK overview

Ably’s SDKs provide comprehensive feature support including:

• Automatic connection management
• Authentication token renewal
• Connection state recovery
• Message continuity
• Automatic reconnection with intelligent fallback
• APIs for the full range of Ably functionality

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Available SDKs

Ably provides SDKs across multiple product lines:

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Pub/Sub SDKs

Ably’s core Pub/Sub SDKs are available for: Client-side platforms:

• JavaScript (browser)
• React
• React Native
• Swift (iOS/macOS)
• Java (Android)
• Flutter
• Unity
• .NET

Server-side platforms:

• JavaScript (Node.js)
• Python
• Ruby
• Java
• Go
• PHP
• .NET

Each SDK provides both REST and Realtime interfaces, allowing you to choose the appropriate interface for your use case.

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Purpose-built SDKs

Ably also provides purpose-built SDKs for specific use cases: Chat SDKs:

• JavaScript
• React
• Swift (iOS/macOS)
• Kotlin (Android)

Spaces SDKs:

• JavaScript
• React

LiveObjects SDKs:

• JavaScript
• Swift (iOS/macOS)

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SDK features by interface

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REST interface

The REST interface is available in all Pub/Sub SDKs and provides:

• Message publishing
• Message history retrieval
• Presence history retrieval
• Token issuance
• Application statistics

The REST interface is stateless and does not maintain a persistent connection to Ably.

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Realtime interface

The Realtime interface is available in all Pub/Sub SDKs and provides:

• Everything in the REST interface
• Message subscription
• Realtime presence
• Connection state management
• Automatic reconnection
• Message continuity through connection recovery

The Realtime interface maintains a persistent connection to Ably, typically over WebSockets.

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Choosing an SDK

When selecting an SDK, consider:

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Platform requirements

• Client-side applications: Use client-side SDKs optimized for browser, mobile, or desktop environments
• Server-side applications: Use server-side SDKs optimized for backend services
• Cross-platform applications: Consider React Native, Flutter, or Unity SDKs

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Use case requirements

• Simple pub/sub: Use core Pub/Sub SDKs
• Chat applications: Use Chat SDKs for built-in chat features
• Collaborative applications: Use Spaces SDKs for multiplayer and collaborative features
• State synchronization: Use LiveObjects SDKs for shared state management

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Interface requirements

• Publishing only: REST interface is sufficient and more efficient
• Subscribing to messages: Realtime interface is required
• Serverless environments: Use REST interface (no persistent connections)
• Low latency requirements: Use Realtime interface

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SDK documentation

For detailed documentation on each SDK:

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Installation and setup

Each SDK has specific installation instructions based on its platform:

• JavaScript/Node.js: npm or yarn
• Python: pip
• Ruby: gem
• Java: Maven or Gradle
• Swift: Swift Package Manager or CocoaPods
• .NET: NuGet
• Flutter: pub

Refer to the getting started guide for your chosen platform for detailed installation instructions.

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Authentication

All SDKs support multiple authentication methods:

• API keys: For server-side applications and development
• Token authentication: For client-side applications (recommended)
• Token requests: For secure token issuance from your servers

For more information, see the authentication documentation.

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Connection management

Realtime SDKs provide automatic connection management:

• Automatic connection to the nearest datacenter
• Intelligent fallback to alternative datacenters
• Automatic reconnection on connection loss
• Connection state recovery to maintain message continuity

For more information, see the connection management documentation.

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SDK versions

Ably maintains up-to-date SDKs with regular releases:

• Bug fixes: Released as patch versions
• New features: Released as minor versions
• Breaking changes: Released as major versions (following semantic versioning)

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Protocol adapters

For scenarios where Ably SDKs are not available or practical, protocol adapters provide alternative connectivity:

• MQTT: For IoT devices and constrained environments
• SSE: For subscribe-only browser clients
• Pusher adapter: For migration from Pusher
• PubNub adapter: For migration from PubNub

For more information, see the protocol adapters documentation.

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Examples and tutorials

Ably provides extensive examples and tutorials for all SDKs:

• Code examples in multiple languages
• Integration guides
• Best practices
• Common patterns and use cases

Explore examples to see working implementations of common use cases.

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Support and community

For SDK support:

• Documentation: Comprehensive documentation for all SDKs at ably.com/docs
• GitHub: Open source SDKs with issue tracking
• Support: Contact Ably support for assistance
• Community: Join the Ably community for discussions and help

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Next steps