Overview
When evaluating prediction market developer tools, the Dome API vs Poly SDK comparison surfaces two distinct approaches to building on top of Polymarket. Dome API is an upcoming unified REST API service designed to deliver real-time and historical prediction market data — including full orderbook depth — through a single, hosted endpoint. It positions itself as a data layer for developers who want convenient, aggregated access without managing multiple upstream connections. As of this writing, Dome API is listed as coming soon, meaning it is not yet publicly available for production use.
Poly SDK, published under the package name @catalyst-team/poly-sdk, is an actively maintained, open-source TypeScript library that consolidates Polymarket's CLOB API, WebSocket feeds, on-chain conditional token operations, and advanced strategy modules into one typed codebase. Where Dome API aims to simplify data access through a hosted service, Poly SDK takes a code-first approach, giving developers direct, programmatic control over trading, analytics, and on-chain settlement mechanics within their own infrastructure.
Dome API vs Poly SDK: Key Differences
| Category | Dome API | Poly SDK |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Hosted REST API for real-time and historical prediction market data | Open-source TypeScript SDK for trading, analytics, streaming, and on-chain operations |
| Target User | Developers wanting a managed data endpoint with minimal setup | Developers and teams building production-grade Polymarket integrations and automation |
| Platform / Interface | REST API (hosted service, external dependency) | TypeScript library installed locally via npm; no external service required |
| Automation Level | Data retrieval only (trading automation not described) | Full trading automation: market/limit orders, copy trading, arbitrage, smart-money tracking |
| Availability | Coming Soon — not yet publicly available | Active — available now on GitHub and npm |
| Pricing | Not disclosed (pre-launch) | Free and open-source (MIT or equivalent) |
| Key Strength | Unified multi-market data with full orderbooks via a single API call | End-to-end typed SDK covering data, trading, WebSocket streaming, and on-chain CTF operations |
When to Choose Dome API
Dome API will likely appeal to developers who prioritize convenience over control — particularly those building read-only dashboards, research tools, or data pipelines that need aggregated prediction market data without the overhead of managing direct Polymarket connections. Once it launches, it could be a strong fit for teams that prefer a managed service and are comfortable depending on a third-party infrastructure provider for uptime and data freshness.
- You need historical and real-time prediction market data from a single, hosted endpoint rather than building your own data layer.
- Your project is read-only — focused on analytics, visualization, or research — and does not require order execution or on-chain operations.
- You are willing to wait for the service to launch and evaluate pricing and reliability before committing to integration.
When to Choose Poly SDK
Poly SDK is the stronger choice for teams that need a comprehensive, self-hosted toolkit today. Its active status, open-source codebase, and breadth of features — spanning trading workflows, WebSocket streaming, on-chain conditional token handling, and strategy modules like arbitrage and copy trading — make it well-suited for production-grade applications where reliability, customization, and full control over execution matter.
- You are building a trading bot, automated strategy, or market-making system that requires authenticated order placement and real-time orderbook data.
- You need on-chain operations such as conditional token split, merge, redeem, or stablecoin approvals as part of your Polymarket integration.
- You want an open-source, dependency-transparent library that you can audit, fork, and extend without relying on a third-party API service.
Verdict
At this point in time, Poly SDK is the clear practical choice for developers ready to build on Polymarket — it is active, feature-rich, open-source, and covers the full spectrum from data access to automated trading and on-chain settlement. Dome API presents an interesting vision for unified, hosted prediction market data, but remains unavailable, with no confirmed pricing or launch date. Developers should monitor Dome API's progress, particularly if aggregated multi-market data through a managed REST endpoint aligns with their use case — but for anyone starting a Polymarket project today, Poly SDK offers a proven, immediately usable foundation.