Pre-requisites

To develop ACAP applications, you need the following:

• A computer with Linux, Windows, or macOS.
• Docker (download)
  • For Windows and macOS, use the automatically upgradable Docker desktop stable.
  • For Linux, use Docker Engine version 23.0.0 or later.
• Git (download)
• We also recommend using Microsoft Visual Studio Code. But you are free to choose your favorite editor.

Understanding the ACAP SDK

The ACAP Native SDK uses a containerized approach that differs from traditional SDK installations.

How it works

Unlike traditional SDKs that require separate download and installation, the ACAP Native SDK is distributed as Docker images. When you build an ACAP application:

1. The Dockerfile in each example specifies which SDK version to use.
2. Docker automatically downloads the SDK image on first build.
3. Your application is built inside this containerized environment.

What this means for you

• No manual SDK download needed.
  • Just follow the docker build instructions in each example, Docker takes care of the rest.
• The SDK is cached locally. After the first download, subsequent builds are faster.

Docker is not just a build tool, it's the SDK delivery mechanism.