Should Developers Use Third-Party Libraries?

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Aris Papadopoulo
Android Software Engineer
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Originally published on Mar 28, 2020Last updated on Aug 22, 2023

Key Takeaways

Why use 3rd party libraries?

Third-party libraries allow you to save time by solely focusing on your core business, using pre-tested code that's been tested in multiple environments already, and having a chance to work with and write modular code.

How do I choose a third-party library?

Understanding your core business and which needs the third-party libraries have to fill are key to deciding which library is right for your business. There are certain questions you should answer before choosing a third-party library like “How popular is the library?” “Will the library be used for core features?” “Is the library widely used?” and is the “library open source?"

What is a third-party library?

A third-party party library is software code written by an external company or person that provides either open-source source code or private software packages, data, content, functionality, or components to use in your projects and can be connected via an API.