> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://resend.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Resend API vs SDK

> For most use cases, the Resend SDK offers a better developer experience.

For most use cases, **the Resend SDK offers a better developer experience** than
calling the raw HTTP API directly. Resend maintains official, open source SDKs
for Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Go, Rust, Java, and .NET.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Recommendation:** Use a [Resend SDK](/docs/sdks) for your language. Call the [raw
> API](/docs/api-reference/introduction) directly only when no SDK exists for your
> stack.

## Choosing between the SDK and API

Reach for the SDK unless you have a specific reason not to. It handles
authentication, the required `User-Agent` header, request serialization, typed
responses, and error handling for you. That leaves less boilerplate to get
wrong.

| | Resend SDK (recommended) | Raw HTTP API |
| - | - | - |
| Auth & headers | Handled automatically | Set `Authorization` and `User-Agent` manually |
| Types & autocomplete | Built in | None |
| Errors | Structured error objects | Parse status codes and JSON yourself |
| Maintained by | Resend | You |

## When to use the raw API directly

Calling the API directly is a good fit when:

* There's **no official SDK** for your language or runtime.
* You're making a one-off request and don't want to add a dependency.
* You're building your own integration or wrapper.

If you do call the API directly, remember to set the required
[`User-Agent` header](/docs/api-reference/introduction#user-agent).

## Next steps

> **[Official SDKs](/docs/sdks)**
>
> Install the SDK for your language.

> **[Quickstart](/docs/introduction)**
>
> Send your first email in minutes.

> **[API Reference](/docs/api-reference/introduction)**
>
> Full HTTP API documentation.

> **[MCP Server](/docs/mcp-server)**
>
> Give your AI agent access to Resend.