Grammarly has recently announced that it will be shutting down its Text Editor SDK, a developer tool that integrates the company’s automated editing functionality into various applications. As of January 10th, 2024, the tool will no longer be available, rendering the editing capabilities inactive in any applications where it is currently being used.
According to Drew Endick, senior manager for platform partners at Grammarly, this decision reflects the company’s strategy of allocating internal engineering resources toward its core product. Grammarly aims to focus on enhancing its tool by incorporating AI, considering the growing popularity of generative AI tools like ChatGPT.
In 2021, Grammarly released a beta version of the SDK, which excited developers as it provided them with the opportunity to integrate Grammarly’s text editing capabilities into their own applications with just a few lines of code. This allowed users to access Grammarly’s assistance seamlessly, without the need for additional installations.
Since the launch of the SDK, thousands of developers have evaluated it, and hundreds have successfully implemented it into their applications. However, these developers will now need to adjust their programs to remove the SDK’s functionality, as it will only be accessible to customers who purchase the service.
It is worth noting that making significant changes to APIs can impact developers already using them. Nevertheless, Grammarly claims to have been working closely with the developer community to mitigate the potential challenges arising from this decision.
While some developers expressed disappointment with this change, Grammarly remains committed to assisting those who have integrated the SDK into their apps and are now compelled to remove it.
It is essential to highlight that Grammarly will not be introducing any new features or updates to the SDK before its shutdown in January. Developers who have built integrations with the Text Editor SDK must plan to remove it from their apps accordingly.
In conclusion, Grammarly’s decision to discontinue the Text Editor SDK reflects its determination to focus on its core product and meet the evolving needs of enterprises. This change may pose challenges for developers who have come to rely on the SDK’s functionality. However, Grammarly is dedicated to supporting these developers during the transition.
