Dropbox Opens Mobile API, Ships iPhone SDK and Sample Apps
The Dropbox developer team has expanded access to its API for mobile developers and refreshed the developer portal with new tools and documentation. The changes are aimed at simplifying the path from prototype to production for mobile apps that integrate with Dropbox accounts.
Mobile Developers Get Keys by Default
When registering a new app, mobile developers now receive a developer key by default. This key provides full access to the developer's own Dropbox account from within the mobile application, enabling testing against real account data without additional approval steps. Once an app is ready for public release, developers can apply for production status from the application's option page. Production keys are currently being approved for mobile apps only; the team plans to extend the API to web applications at a later date, but no release timeline has been announced.
Updated SDK and Sample Code
Alongside the API access changes, the Dropbox developers site has been updated with several new resources:
- An iPhone SDK that now includes standardized UI elements for user sign-up and login, reducing the amount of custom authentication code developers need to write.
- New sample apps for both iPhone and Android, intended to serve as a template for implementing authentication or as a starting point for learning the SDK.
- Revamped documentation for the REST API, with more detailed coverage of troubleshooting and expanded error code descriptions.
The team indicates further improvements are in progress, with a continued focus on making the API easier to work with. Feedback and questions can be directed to the Dropbox developers team through the contact channels on the developer site.
