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# ZED SDK API Overview

The ZED SDK provides comprehensive APIs across multiple programming languages, enabling developers to integrate 3D sensing capabilities into any application.

Each API offers access to features such as depth perception, positional tracking, spatial mapping, object detection, and body tracking.

## Available APIs

| Language                                                                                                                                  | Description                                                                   |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [![C++](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/devicons/devicon/icons/cplusplus/cplusplus-original.svg) C++](/docs/development/api-languages/cpp)    | Core API with full access to all ZED SDK features.                            |
| [![Python](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/devicons/devicon/icons/python/python-original.svg) Python](/docs/development/api-languages/python) | Python wrapper for rapid prototyping and integration with data science tools. |
| [![C#](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/devicons/devicon/icons/csharp/csharp-original.svg) C#](/docs/development/api-languages/csharp)         | .NET wrapper for Unity and Windows desktop applications.                      |
| [![C](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/devicons/devicon/icons/c/c-original.svg) C](/docs/development/api-languages/c)                          | Lightweight C interface for embedded systems and cross-language bindings.     |

## Choosing the right API

* **C++**: Recommended for production applications requiring maximum performance and access to the full feature set. It is the reference implementation from which all other wrappers are derived.
* **Python**: Ideal for research, prototyping, and workflows involving NumPy, OpenCV, PyTorch, or other Python ecosystems. Provides near-complete feature parity with the C++ API.
* **C#**: Designed for Unity integration and .NET-based desktop applications on Windows. Suitable for building mixed-reality and simulation experiences.
* **C**: A minimal, ABI-stable interface useful for embedding ZED functionality in systems with strict language constraints, or for building custom bindings in languages like Rust, Go, or Java via FFI.

## Common capabilities

All APIs provide access to the following core modules:

| Module                  | Description                                                                      |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Video Capture**       | Stereo and mono image acquisition, including side-by-side and rectified outputs. |
| **Depth Sensing**       | Real-time depth map computation with multiple quality modes.                     |
| **Positional Tracking** | 6-DoF camera pose estimation using visual-inertial odometry.                     |
| **Global Localization** | Global Localization in Earth Coordinates using GNSS information.                 |
| **Spatial Mapping**     | 3D reconstruction of the environment as meshes or fused point clouds.            |
| **Object Detection**    | 2D/3D detection and tracking of objects using optimized neural networks.         |
| **Body Tracking**       | Real-time skeleton estimation for human body pose analysis.                      |
| **Fusion**              | Multi-camera data fusion.                                                        |

> **Note**
>
> Feature availability may vary slightly between wrappers. Refer to each API's documentation for specific supported functions.

## Platform support

| Platform            | C++ | Python | C# | C |
| ------------------- | --- | ------ | -- | - |
| Windows             | ✅   | ✅      | ✅  | ✅ |
| Ubuntu Linux        | ✅   | ✅      | ❌  | ✅ |
| NVIDIA Jetson (L4T) | ✅   | ✅      | ❌  | ✅ |

## Docs

- [API Reference](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/api-reference.md)
- [Building a C++ Application](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/cpp.md)
- [Building a C++ Application on Windows](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/cpp/windows.md)
- [Building a C++ Application on Linux and NVIDIA® Jetson](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/cpp/linux.md)
- [Install the ZED Python API](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/python.md)
- [Run a ZED Python Application](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/python/run-a-python-application.md)
- [ZED Python API within a Virtual Environment](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/python/virtual-environment.md)
- [Using the ZED C# API on Windows](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/csharp.md)
- [Installing the ZED C API](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/c.md)
- [Run a ZED C Application](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/development/api-languages/c/build-and-run-a-c-application.md)
- [Tutorials](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials.md)
- [Tutorial - Hello ZED](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/hello-zed.md)
- [Tutorial - Image Capture](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/image-capture.md)
- [Tutorial - Using Depth Perception](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/depth-sensing.md)
- [Tutorial - Using Camera Tracking](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/positional-tracking.md)
- [Tutorial - Using Spatial Mapping](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/spatial-mapping.md)
- [Tutorial - Using 3D Object Detection](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/object-detection.md)
- [Tutorial - Retrieving Sensors Data](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/sensor-data.md)
- [Tutorial - Using Human Body Tracking](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/body-tracking.md)
- [Tutorial - Global Localization](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/global-localization.md)
- [Tutorial - Split Process](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/split-process.md)
- [Tutorial - Health Status](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/health-status.md)
- [Tutorial - Retrieve Tensor](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/tutorials/retrieve-tensor.md)
- [Code Samples](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples.md)
- [Samples - Camera Control](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/camera-control.md)
- [Samples - Camera Streaming](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/camera-streaming.md)
- [Samples - Depth Sensing](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/depth-sensing.md)
- [Samples - Positional Tracking](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/positional-tracking.md)
- [Samples - Object Detection](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/object-detection.md)
- [Samples - Body Tracking](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/body-tracking.md)
- [Samples - Spatial Mapping](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/spatial-mapping.md)
- [Samples - Plane Detection](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/plane-detection.md)
- [Samples - Recording](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/recording.md)
- [Samples - Global Localization](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/global-localization.md)
- [Samples - Sensors API](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/sensors-api.md)
- [Samples - Virtual Stereo](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/virtual-stereo.md)
- [Samples - ZED X One](https://docs.stereolabs.com/docs/samples/zed-x-one.md)