VMware APIs and SDKs Documentation

Click any link below to view release notes, developer guides, API reference, and other documentation for all versions of a VMware API or SDK package.

VMware Infrastructure Toolkit (for Windows) VI Toolkit (for Windows). Client-side Microsoft PowerShell and .NET framework that facilitates working with the VI API. Includes dozens of PowerShell cmdlets for easy administration of ESX Server 3.x, VirtualCenter 2.x, and subsequent VMware Infrastructure server releases.
VMware Infrastructure Perl Toolkit VI Perl Toolkit. Client-side Perl framework that provides an easy-to-use scripting interface to the VI API. Use with ESX Server 3.x, VirtualCenter 2.x, and subsequent VMware Infrastructure 3 releases.
VMware Infrastructure SDK VI SDK. Sample code, WSDLs, and documentation for creating Java and C# client applications that can leverage the Web-services based VI API for managing, monitoring, and controlling the life-cycle of all VMware Infrastructure components.
VMware CIM APIs Common Information Model (CIM) APIs. View virtual machines and resources using profiles defined by the Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S). Manage hosts using the System Management Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH) standard. ESX, ESXi (3.x and subsequent releases).
VMware Infrastructure Management Assistant VIMA. Virtual machine with prepackaged software, a logging component, and an authentication component for non-interactive login. Perform most ESX service console tasks, and run scripts and agents to manage ESX and ESXi systems.

VMware Studio Enables hardware appliance and software vendors to build customized virtual appliances that can be shipped in industry standard Open Virtualization Format (OVF). VMware Studio also allows virtual appliance vendors to periodically publish updates directly to the deployed appliances, thereby reducing the cost of on-going maintenance and providing customers with higher quality software.
VMware SRM API VMware Site Recovery Manager API. Initiate tests or failovers and collect the results, using a Web-services-based API for SRM components. The package includes sample code, WSDL, and documentation for configuring a client application to manage and monitor SRM components.
VMware VDDK Virtual Disk Development Kit. Includes a C function library and utilities to create and access storage in open VMDK (virtual machine disk) format. Compatible with ESX Server 3, VMware Server, VMware Fusion, VMware Player, VMware Workstation 6, Workstation 5, Workstation 4, and GSX Server.

VMware VIX API A high-level, easy to use API (with C, Perl, and COM bindings) for automating virtual-machine- and guest-OS-operations. Automate test cases, help reproduce bugs, and customize virtual machine configurations. Code samples available. Compatible with VMware Server and VMware Workstation.

VMware VMCI An interface for fast, efficient communication between a guest virtual machine and its host, or between virtual machines on the same host. Available in VMware Server 2.0 and Workstation 6.5.
VMware Guest SDK A read-only API that enables software running on a guest operating system (Windows or Linux installed on a virtual machine) to collect various statistics, such as virtual machine memory usage and CPU speed. ESX, ESXi (3.x and subsequent releases)

Programming API Available on VMware Server (VMware Server 1.0 and prior releases only). Used to create scripts and applications for automating virtual machine test- and development- operations. Replaced by VMware VIX API.
Scripting API Legacy Perl and COM interfaces supported on ESX Server 3.0.x and GSX Server. (VMware strongly recommends that developers use the VI Perl Toolkit or the VMware Infrastructure SDK, rather than the Scripting APIs.)

Last updated 27-Oct-2008 6:15 pm PDT