Azure SDK for .NET is a software development kit that provides .NET libraries for building applications that consume and manage Azure cloud services.
The SDK addresses the need for consistent, idiomatic access to Azure services from .NET applications. It organizes libraries into client libraries for consuming Azure resources and management libraries for administering them. The project maintains two generations of packages: newer libraries that follow unified Azure SDK Design Guidelines and implement shared features through Azure.Core, and stable previous-version libraries that offer broader service coverage. The newer client libraries use a consistent naming scheme starting with "Azure" followed by service category and name, making them discoverable and predictable across different Azure services.
Developers should choose this SDK when building .NET applications that interact with Azure. The newer GA and preview client libraries are recommended for new projects, as they provide consistent patterns for HTTP retries, logging, transport protocols, and authentication across all services. The stable previous-version libraries remain suitable for production use and cover more Azure services, though they may not implement the current design guidelines. The project distinguishes between client libraries for consuming resources and management libraries for administrative tasks, allowing developers to select the appropriate package for their use case.
The project maintains active development across multiple service libraries organized in the /sdk directory. Documentation is kept current through both public developer docs and versioned reference materials. The SDK implements a structured approach to library evolution, with clear guidance on which packages are production-ready and which are in preview, helping developers make informed choices about stability versus feature currency.
