SDKs
To add address search to a web form, use a library rather than an SDK. Address Finder adds address autocomplete and Postcode Lookup adds a postcode search. Both come in React versions: Address Finder for React and Postcode Lookup for React. The libraries provide the interface, keyboard support and accessibility, then fill in your address fields.
When should I use an SDK?
Use an SDK when you need:
- Every current API endpoint. Address search, postcode and UPRN lookup, address cleanse, email and phone validation, plus key, licensee and configuration management.
- Programmatic access. Call the API from your own code, such as a server, a script or a data pipeline.
- A custom integration. Build your own interface or workflow where the libraries do not fit.
For a one-off call, fetch with the API reference is enough.
What do the SDKs cover?
The Python and TypeScript SDKs cover every public API operation, including key, licensee and configuration management.
Both are generated from the Ideal Postcodes OpenAPI spec, the same contract the API reference is built from. Their methods, parameters and response types come from it, not from hand-written code.
SDKs for other languages will focus on finding and checking addresses: postcode lookup, address search and address cleanse, plus email and phone validation. They will have little or no key or account management. For those tasks, use the Python or TypeScript SDK, or call the API directly.
Which SDKs are available?
Python
ideal-postcodes has a typed method for each API operation and returns Pydantic models. It runs on Python 3.12 or later.
pip install ideal-postcodes
TypeScript
@ideal-postcodes/sdk has a typed function for each API operation, over native fetch. It runs in browsers and Node.js 22 or later.
npm install @ideal-postcodes/sdk