Introduction
Most Web Viewer SDKs promise flexibility. They give you the backend engine, APIs, and a toolkit of functions. But once the excitement fades, teams discover the real cost: years of development, endless testing, and still no complete solution for the end users.

At Viewsoft, we take a different approach. We don’t sell SDKs. We deliver modules – complete packages that combine backend technology, API calls, and ready-to-use frontends. It’s the difference between starting from scratch and starting one step away from a solution.

The Pain of Pure SDKs

SDKs have their place, but many organizations quickly run into the same problems:

1. You have to build everything yourself
A traditional SDK gives you low-level functions – load a PDF, draw a line, add an annotation. Everything else (UI, workflows, collaboration) is left to you. That means long timelines and huge development overhead.

2. UI doesn’t fit your product
SDKs often ship with rigid UI components that don’t match your design system. Developers spend weeks overriding, theming, or rewriting basic elements just to make them usable.

3. Dependency hell
Most SDKs bundle third-party libraries. Conflicts with your existing stack can cause “dependency hell,” forcing you into painful version management.

4. Poor documentation and onboarding
Many SDKs lack complete guides, clear examples, or helpful error messages. Teams get stuck, waste time, or rely heavily on external support.

5. Versioning and maintenance burden
As SDKs evolve, new versions can break your integration. You’re left maintaining multiple versions or rewriting code to catch up.

6. Support and distribution overhead
An SDK isn’t just code – it requires testing across platforms, distributing updates, fixing bugs, and providing internal support. All of this becomes your team’s responsibility.

Our Approach: Modules, Not Just SDK

A module is more than an SDK. And this is where we are heading with Viewsoft:

• Backend technology – proven engines for PDF, DWG, and IFC.

• Rich API layer – ready-made Javascript calls for measurement, annotation, collaboration, and file control.

• Frontend experience – a functional, customizable interface that works out of the box.

This means you don’t just embed a viewer and functions – you embed a workspace that is built on the actual workflow.

Why Modules Win

Modules strike the balance between raw SDKs and locked SaaS platforms:

• Faster time-to-market – no need to reinvent common features.

• Lower risk – proven workflows, already tested in real projects.

• Ownership – you host it, integrate it, and control the data.

• Business friendly – predictable costs, requirements met.

• Developer friendly – years of trial and error already solved.

A Level Closer to the Solution

Enterprises and software vendors choose modules because they want more than functions – they want outcomes.

• With a pure SDK: you’re responsible for turning functions into tools.

• With SaaS: you’re stuck with someone else’s platform.

• With Viewsoft modules: you get the best of both worlds – embeddable solutions that you own, integrate, and adapt.

Closing
If you’re evaluating Web Viewer SDKs for PDF, DWG, or IFC workflows, ask yourself: do you really need just an SDK, or do you need a ready-to-use module that gets you closer to the solution? Or maybe more important: How much time will it take to get to that point and state where you are happy?

At Viewsoft, we build modules, not just SDKs – so your drawings become more than files. They become workspaces.