Microsoft introduced the new Lync API release for Microsoft Lync 2013. Microsoft Lync 2013 SDK is the client-side API set that enables the integration and extension of Lync experiences.
With the Lync SDK, you can quickly add Lync 2013 features to an existing business application, extend the Lync client itself or, if you have the need, build a custom UI built atop the Lync client platform.
The Microsoft Lync 2013 SDK includes the Lync 2013 API, a managed-code (.NET) API that developers use to build applications that leverage the Microsoft Lync 2013 collaboration features. In addition to the Lync 2013 API, the Lync SDK includes a set of UI controls that can be used to add Lync features to a Microsoft Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), or Microsoft Silverlight 4.0 application. The Lync 2013 SDK also ships with a set of working code samples and documentation to help you become a productive Lync developer as quickly as possible.
It is important to note the Lync SDK’s development model does require the Lync client to be installed on the user’s machine and the API is called from outside the Lync process, manipulating the same object model on which the Lync client is built.
Microsoft Lync Server 2013 SDK
The Microsoft Lync Server 2013 SDK includes the Microsoft Lync Server 2013 SIP Application API documentation, library (ServerAgent.DLL), application development tools, and sample applications.
The Lync Server 2013 SDK includes three Lync Server 2013 SIP Application API references that can be used to create Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server applications that customize and extend the functionality of Microsoft Lync Server 2013:
- SIP application manifest
- Microsoft SIP Processing Language (MSPL)
- Microsoft.Rtc.Sip namespace
This SDK is Intended for the Following Audiences
- Developers who want to use application manifests and MSPL scripts to implement simple custom SIP message filtering and routing on computers in a Lync Server 2013 deployment.
- Experienced SIP developers who want to create SIP-based managed code server applications that implement real-time content delivery or instant messaging infrastructure. This includes applications that work directly with SIP transaction objects or support multithreaded transactions.
What’s New
More than 70 new topics have been added to the SDK. These topics explain new features of Lync SDK as well as giving you a more in-depth look at features introduced in a previous release of the SDK.
New SDK Features
Lync SDK give you three new features will let you provide your custom application users with a complete collaboration experience. The three areas that we have enhanced the Lync SDK include:
- Resource sharing. This feature allows a client to share a running process, desktop, or any one of the displays attached to a computer.
- Persistent chat support. You can build a persistent chat client as well as a persistent chat add-in application that is attached to a persistent chat room.
- On Line meeting content management. You can manage the contents of an on line meeting content bin, meeting content sharing stage, and meeting video display sources.
Most Solved Issues
Microsoft solved the problem of viewing the video in the UI Suppression Mode with the Lync 2013 SDK (preview) and now it is working fine but you need to install the latest release of the Microsoft Lync client (15.0.4454.1506) version
Related Information
Lync 2013 SDK training videos for developers
Lync 2013 Developer documentation
Download Microsoft Lync 2013 SDK
Code 4 Lync 
Hi Mohamed
The blog written by is informative and helped me alot. But I want to know is there way that I can create public groups using lync 2013 sdk so that all these groups will be avaialble to the users on lync using the same server.
waiting for a positive response.
Regards
AS
Yes you can but using the UCMA,
SDK also includes many features and moreover, the users can easily incorporate the services with their built-in desktops with numerous applications. This has facilitated the job to such an extent that the meeting schedules and joining meetings can easily be entered with a click of mouse and the virtual lobbies help in placing attendees for better control and security of attendees.
Hi Mohamed! Thank you for informative blog. Since you have a lot experience witch Lync SDK… have you noticed strange behavior of Lync SDK apps that is when you close the app (which for example forks requests) it still works for a while?
Hi Mohamed,
Can you tell me in detail about the diffrence in UCMA and UCWA.
In a requirement in current project in which we need to create a windows service which will interact withe lync server to get the information about the user and event on based on the presence of the user.
For this can you suggest me which one of UCMA/UCWA can be used and what ll be the benefit of using that.
UCWA, it is client side and no need for Server side code when using UCMA