The Vault Developer Framework (VDF) is a high-level framework on top of the existing API.
The VDF provides:
The VDF mission is to deliver extensible, light-weight data management components that allow new add-ins and client applications to be created quickly. In addition, the VDF enables existing add-ins to benefit from continued feature development and enhancements.
The diagram below shows how the VDF relates to the Vault Server and your client applications.
The VDF has an installer that is included in the Vault Client and Server installation. A VDF installation includes the API binaries, sample applications, and a help file.
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Vault Professional {release}\SDK\setup.exe
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ADMS Professional {release}\SDK\setup.exe