SDKs in the AI Era with Kin Lane

In this episode of the MonkCast, RedMonk senior analyst Kate Holterhoff sits down with Kin Lane, API Evangelist and Co-Founder & Chief Community Officer (CCO) for Naftiko, to untangle one of the most pressing questions in developer tooling today: what happens to APIs and SDKs when AI enters the picture? Kin traces the SDK from its origins in the REST API era of 2008, through the recurring (and always premature) declarations of its death, to its current identity crisis in an age of AI co-pilots, MCP servers, and agentic IDEs. The conversation explores how OpenAPI specs are being used to shrink context windows and why AI might generate bespoke, single-purpose SDKs on the fly rather than shipping monolithic language-specific kits.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/sdks-in-the-ai-era-with-kin-lane/Chapters00:00 Introduction to APIs and SDKs06:36 The Evolution of SDKs in the AI Era10:08 Future of SDK Generation and Automation17:20 Business Alignment and SDK Development20:09 The Role of IDEs and MCPs in SDKs26:07 SDKs for AI Agents vs. Human Developers29:15 The Power of Language in Technology30:40 Navigating Determinism and Non-Determinism in AI35:29 The Role of Abstraction Layers in Development39:00 API Governance: Bridging Gaps in Development46:22 Designing APIs for AI Misuse50:52 The Evolving Identity of Developers58:07 Where to Follow Kin Lane's Insights

In this RedMonk conversation, Stu Miniman, Senior Director of Market Insights, Hybrid Platforms at Red Hat, shares his extensive tech industry experience and insights with Kate Holterhoff. Stu discusses behind-the-scenes stories from his time as an industry analyst at theCUBE. As a seasoned expert in networking, virtualization, and cloud computing, he also chats about how networking challenges are being addressed in the Kubernetes ecosystem, the impact of AI, and the future of the industry analyst role.Red Hat is a RedMonk client, but this video is unsponsored and independent.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/clouderatti-to-thecube-stu-miniman/Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background06:18 The Evolution of EMC and Its Impact14:17 Networking in the Kubernetes Ecosystem22:07 The Role of an Analyst28:57 AI: Opportunities and Challenges35:03 The Cube: A Journey Through Live Production40:57 Preparation and Connection with Guests46:27 Building Relationships and Networking53:51 Analysts vs Influencers: A Blurred Line01:05:18 Wrapping Up and Future Engagements

In this RedMonk conversation, Kate Holterhoff speaks with Ansgar Lindwedel, Director of Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) Ecosystem Development at the Eclipse Foundation. They discuss the concept of Software Defined Vehicles, the evolution of software in the automotive industry, and the challenges faced by developers. Ansgar explains the importance of the Eclipse SDV working group, the trade-offs of proprietary operating systems, and the role of open source in building competencies. They also touch on safety in open source software development, the ecosystem of Eclipse SDV, the impact of AI on automotive development, and the future roadmap for the community.This RedMonk Conversation is sponsored by the Eclipse Foundation.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/eclipse-sdv-ansgar-lindwedel/Chapters00:00 Introduction to Software Defined Vehicles02:10 The Evolution of Software in Automotive05:02 Eclipse SDV Working Group Overview08:49 Challenges in Automotive Development Tools11:57 The Shift to Open Source in Automotive16:32 Functional Safety in Open Source Software19:12 The Ecosystem of Eclipse SDV31:58 The Role of AI in Automotive Development36:21 Future Roadmap and Transformative Changes

In this RedMonk conversation, Chris Corriere, Founder of Ecology Computing and an organizer of Devopsdays Atlanta, shares his unique perspective on socio-technical systems, complexity in computing, and the future of DevOps practices with Kate Holterhoff. They discuss how ecological thinking influences technology and how mapping tools like Cynefin and Wardley Maps can help navigate complex environments.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/chris-corriere-complexity/Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Background00:27 Chris Corriere's Ecological Perspective on Technology02:11 Socio-technical Mathematics and Complexity02:40 Mathematics in Computing and AI04:32 AI, Agency, and Autonomy in Systems05:42 Math Skills for Developers and Data Scientists06:57 Platform Engineering and Source Control09:09 Open Source Projects and Enterprise Work11:04 The Role of Git and Version Control12:23 Greenfield Projects and Tech Debt13:35 Understanding Cynefin and Wardley Mapping18:54 What is Cynefin? Its Origins and Meaning19:54 Chaos, Disorder, and Platform Salvage21:38 Mapping the Tech Environment with Wardley25:41 Mapping Space Technologies and Quantum Computing27:02 DevOps Days Atlanta and Future Themes29:30 The Future of AI, Education, and Community31:13 Closing Remarks and Contact Info

In this RedMonk Conversation, senior analyst Kate Holterhoff is joined by Alex Moore, Executive Director of Open Web Advocacy (OWA), to unpack why the web has struggled to compete with native apps on mobile and what regulators are finally doing about it. Moore traces OWA’s origins from frustrated engineers to a global advocacy group. They explore the technical, economic, and competitive implications of blocking web apps on iOS, from developer productivity and install friction to security myths and the future of innovation. The discussion spans WebAssembly, PWAs vs. native apps, and major regulatory efforts like the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the UK’s DMCC, Japan’s Smartphone Act, and the US DOJ case against Apple.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/alex-moore-open-web-advocacy/Chapters00:00 Introduction to Open Web Advocacy02:48 The Formation and Goals of OWA05:17 Apple's Dominance in Mobile Development07:45 Web Apps vs. Native Apps: The Debate10:39 The Future of Web Apps12:55 Security Concerns and Apple's App Store19:56 Conclusion and Future Outlook22:14 Security in Native vs Web Environments23:30 Advocacy Work and Legislative Landscape24:02 Digital Markets Act and Its Implications28:56 Global Movements: Japan and US Cases Against Apple32:08 Getting Involved: Advocacy and Community Engagement35:23 Call to Action: Pushing for Change in the Tech Landscape37:52 The Future of Tinkering and Innovation

In this episode of RedMonk Conversations, Rachel Stephens (Research Director at RedMonk) sits down with Özer Dondurmacıoğlu, VP of Product Marketing at GitLab, to discuss GitLab’s vision for intelligent orchestration across the software development lifecycle.AI coding may be accelerating how quickly developers generate code, but what happens to code review, security scanning, compliance, testing, governance, and release coordination when code volume increases? Learn more about GitLab's vision for leveling up the SDLC.This is a RedMonk video, sponsored by GitLab.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/gitlab-platform/

In this RedMonk conversation, Kate Holterhoff chats with Daniel Stenberg, founder of the curl project, about the challenges and implications of AI-generated code in open source software, focusing particularly on the phenomenon known as AI Slop. They discuss the impact of AI on bug reporting, the effectiveness of bug bounty systems, and the importance of community engagement. Daniel shares insights on how AI can be both a tool for good and a source of problems, emphasizing the need for communication and collaboration in the open source community. The conversation also touches on the role of platforms like GitHub and the future of open source in an AI-driven world.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/daniel-stenberg-ai-onslop/Chapters00:00 Introduction to Curl and AI Slop01:54 The Rise of AI Slop in Open Source05:39 Defining AI Slop and Its Impact07:07 Understanding Bug Bounty Systems09:27 The Importance of Curl in the Tech Ecosystem11:48 Positive Uses of AI in Open Source15:19 Navigating AI Tools and Their Limitations17:29 Community Engagement and Best Practices19:11 Leadership in the Face of AI Challenges22:11 Future Considerations for Open Source and AI23:45 Navigating the AI Landscape27:01 GitHub's Role in AI Contributions30:45 The Future of AI and Open Source33:53 Empowering Engineering Leaders37:42 The State of Open Source in the AI Era

In this conversation, Stephen O'Grady and Rob Hirschfeld discuss the complexities of bare metal automation, the role of platform teams, and the importance of observability and governance in managing infrastructure. They explore the challenges of integrating open source solutions with bare metal and emphasize the need for specialized support in this area. The discussion highlights the evolving landscape of infrastructure management and the necessity for collaboration and expertise.This video is sponsored by RackN.Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/navigating-bare-metal-automation-with-rob-hirschfeld/

In this RedMonk Conversation, Wes Bos, co-host of Syntax, chats with Kate Holterhoff about why he predicts 2026 is the year design makes a comeback. They explore why the design of exceptional websites like landonorris.com can be a critical differentiator in the digital space, particularly as AI tools simplify the creation of visually appealing websites. Wes emphasizes that while the baseline for web design has improved, the challenge now lies in creating unique and engaging user experiences that stand out in a sea of similar-looking sites. He highlights the importance of usability and the need for developers to invest time in thoughtful design, moving beyond cookie-cutter solutions to create memorable web experiences.Sentry is a RedMonk client, but this is an unpaid content.Show Notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/wes-bos-design-2026/00:00 Introduction to Wes Bos and Predictions for 202609:53 Keeping Up with Design Trends17:27 Performance Insights from the Lando Norris Website23:28 Understanding ROI in Design29:38 The Balance Between Design and Authenticity35:48 The Challenges of AI in Design and Development

Modern software systems are frequently described as “complicated,” but that framing obscures the nature of the challenge. Complicated systems can be decomposed, reasoned about, and managed through clearer processes and better tooling. Complex systems cannot. They are shaped by a web of technical interdependencies, incentives, institutional history, and human behavior, and they often fail in ways that are difficult or impossible to predict.In this RedMonk Conversation, Rachel Stephens and guests David Pollak, Chris Petrilli, and Æva Black explore how complexity emerges across large organizations, open source ecosystems, and security-critical infrastructure. Drawing on experiences from enterprise environments and open source communities, the discussion examines why transparency, incentive structures, and institutional knowledge matter more than formal process, and why many attempts to control complexity instead amplify it.show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/complexity/