CloudKit
{{Infobox software platform
| name = CloudKit
| icon =
| image =
| caption =
| developer = Apple
| target = macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, Web
| editor =
| runtime =
| language =
| application =
| status = Active
| license =
| website = [https://developer.apple.com/icloud/cloudkit/ CloudKit at Apple Developer]
}}
File:T34 8 cloudkit dashboard.png
CloudKit is an integrated macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS API that functions as a backend as a service (BaaS).{{Cite web|title = Apple's CloudKit is the MBaaS Answer to AWS and Azure Cloud Services {{!}} CloudTimes|url = http://cloudtimes.org/2014/06/05/apples-cloudkit-is-the-mbaas-answer-to-aws-and-azure-cloud-services/|access-date = 2016-02-09|first = Saroj|last = Kar|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160216045941/http://cloudtimes.org/2014/06/05/apples-cloudkit-is-the-mbaas-answer-to-aws-and-azure-cloud-services/|archive-date = 2016-02-16|url-status = dead}} CloudKit is the framework that powers iCloud on those operating systems and on the web.
Services
Application developers can utilize CloudKit for integrated access to Apple's iCloud servers into iOS and macOS applications. The framework provides authentication, a private database, a public database and structured asset storage services allowing developers to focus on client-side development.{{cite web|title=iCloud for Developers|url=https://developer.apple.com/icloud/|website=Apple Developer|publisher=Apple|access-date=9 February 2016}} It is the foundation for both iCloud Storage and iCloud Photo Library.{{cite web|title=Introduction to CloudKit|url=https://developer.xamarin.com/guides/ios/platform_features/intro_to_cloudkit/|website=Xamarin Developer|publisher=Xamarin|access-date=9 February 2016}}
CloudKit also offers several APIs to access the iCloud Storage, where a user can store data and files so that they can be easily accessible from other devices.{{Cite web|url=http://nshipster.com/cloudkit/|title=What is CloudKit?|website=Nshipster.com|date=29 June 2015 |access-date=2016-03-26}}
Reception
Developers claim that this framework "replaces back-end web services like old-school databases, file storage and user authentication systems."{{Cite web|url=http://nshipster.com/cloudkit/|title=Cloudkit|last=Liu|first=Croath|date=29 June 2015|website=nhipster.com|access-date=3 March 2016}}