# Use of SDK in Maker Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Maker\ **Created:** [June 28, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130 "2020-06-28T20:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![avogler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@avogler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avogler)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/1 "2020-06-28T20:55:21Z")
Can I use the SDK in the maker edition? I am new to Ignition and the SDK. I wanna write a standalone Java program which can read/write tags of an Ignition Gateway… regards Andy ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/2 "2020-06-28T21:58:10Z")
> [@avogler](#): > > a standalone Java program which can read/write tags of an Ignition Gateway Well, that's not possible with the SDK at all, so Maker support is moot. The SDK is to make add-on modules for Ignition that run inside, _ **not stand-alone** _. From inside, you can read and write tags freely, and Maker Edition is supported. ---
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/3 "2020-06-29T00:26:45Z")
The easiest way I think might be to create an OPC-UA connection to the Ignition OPC-UA server. I say “easiest” as I’ve never tried creating an OPC-UA connection in Java. Maybe it’s not easy… ---
**Author:** ![PRAMANJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pramanj/32/66935_2.png) [@PRAMANJ](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/PRAMANJ)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/4 "2020-06-29T01:48:50Z")
You can as well connect your standalone application to ignition using tcp sockets thru a gateway script. I guess maker supports gateway scripts ---
**Author:** ![avogler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@avogler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avogler)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/5 "2020-06-29T19:07:04Z")
so I have to build a Ignition Module - I guess a module is some kind of a running Java program and it can act as a (e.g. http) server… I think I should first read the docs (I am brand new to Ignition)… thank you very much, I now know in which direction I have to go… ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 7:13pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/6 "2020-06-29T19:13:32Z")
You don’t necessarily need to build an Ignition module. If your first post was accurate then you just need to pick some method of communicating with Ignition and implement it. ---
**Author:** ![PRAMANJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pramanj/32/66935_2.png) [@PRAMANJ](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/PRAMANJ)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/7 "2020-06-30T02:34:18Z")
There is a steep learning curve involved in building modules , you have to understand maven build process , understand the class library of ignition , use the interfaces properly and so on ! Unless you are an experienced java developer, It’s better to start with scripts if the task is simple . Of course a compiled module will be more efficient than scripts but it’s a tread off between efficiency and ease ! ---
**Author:** ![avogler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@avogler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avogler)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/8 "2020-06-30T18:36:54Z")
Thank you for the hint … I will still give it a try, let’s see how hard or easy it is to build a module… ---
**Author:** ![avogler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@avogler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avogler)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/9 "2020-06-30T18:39:36Z")
I think my first post was not really accurate … I will give the API a try, I like Java (even more SCALA) and SCADA and I guess with the SDK I can do “anything”, like reading history of tags, read alerts, … and I don’t wanna deal with OPC UA History … ---
**Author:** ![PRAMANJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pramanj/32/66935_2.png) [@PRAMANJ](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/PRAMANJ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/10 "2020-07-02T04:20:47Z")
Good luck ! ---
**Author:** ![avogler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@avogler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avogler)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 5:40am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/11 "2021-03-31T05:40:20Z")
I have to admit you were right. I wanted to implement a GraphQL interface… in the meanwhile I did it on top of OPC UA (thanks to Eclipse/Milo!). It can now be used with any OPC UA Servers… if someone needs GraphQL or MQTT for OPC UA … [here it is](https://github.com/vogler75/automation-gateway). But there is still a lot to do … ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 11:56am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/12 "2021-03-31T11:56:37Z")
Impressive. ---
**Author:** ![avogler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@avogler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/avogler)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2021, 5:16am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/use-of-sdk-in-maker-edition/36130/13 "2021-04-01T05:16:24Z")
Thanks!