Creating and managing apps

This help page is for users in Developer Console version 6. If you are in the older version (Developer Console 5), click here. Know your Developer Console version.

1. What does this page cover?

This page will help you get started with understanding the basics of creating an application using various app components.

Before proceeding, feel free to learn more about Developer Console.

2. Availability

Only the super admin of an account can create, manage, and submit applications for review in Zoho Marketplace. The super admin can add and share apps privately with clients whereas developers can only send updates to these clients (if they have the required permission).

3. Steps to create an app

If you're signing up for the first time, you’ll need to access the Developer Console by entering the necessary details on the registration page. Make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions, then click SIGN UP FOR FREE or log in using any of the supported federated logins.

For those who already have a Developer Console account, you can jump straight into building your applications after selecting Zoho Creator > Start building.

You'll then be navigated to the home page of your account, where you can start building applications.

1. Click + Create Application.

Note: If you've already created an app, you can further customize it by clicking Edit in the Environments dropdown in the application card.

2. Choose your distribution type—Marketplace application or Private application—from the dropdown that appears.

Marketplace distribution: This method is suitable for applications with broader purposes that can be used by a large community of users. Applications distributed through Zoho Marketplace are accessible to a wide audience, allowing developers to reach more clients and generate revenue. Once the application is listed on Marketplace, clients can install and start using the application.
Private distribution: This method is ideal for tailored applications designed for specific clients. Developers can share their applications privately with clients who need customized applications that cater to their organization's unique needs.

3. To build the app from scratch, click Create under Create from scratch. Or click Import under Import from file to convert your existing data into an app.

The app creation process is similar to the process employed in Zoho Creator. The following image highlights the various modules in your application builder:

The following links will help you understand the above sections in more detail:

Note: Our comprehensive Zoho Creator documentation can be found here. Please note that not all the pages or features in the Zoho Creator documentation are applicable to Developer Console—the link is provided for general reference. For example, AI fields are not yet supported in Developer Console. Similarly, support for integration forms is also not available in Developer Console at the moment.

4. Managing applications

All your applications will be listed in the Applications tab. To perform more actions on the applications, click the ellipsis in the relevant application card.

Duplicate: Create a copy of the application. For example, if you want to create a similar application with specific customization for other clients, you can duplicate the app and customize the duplicated app to save time and effort.

Summary: Get a summarized overview of the application's details, such as name, app icon, and URL. You can also perform actions, like renaming the application, navigating to environment settings and logs, and adding developers, from here.
Delete: Remove the application from your account if it's no longer needed. This action will delete the application and the data in the environments permanently.

Note: You can only delete an application if it's not submitted to the Marketplace or distributed to clients.

4.1 Duplicate Application

This option allows you to create a copy of your application. You can choose which version or environment to duplicate, and then select how the new application will be distributed as a Private share app or a Marketplace share app. Please note that this configuration cannot be modified later.

For example, if you need to create a customized app for another client based on a published version, you can duplicate the application using the Version option. If you want a copy based on the current development state or the latest stage, you can duplicate it using the Environment option.

Steps to duplicate an application

Navigate to the application you want to duplicate.
Select the Meatball menu (three dots).
Choose Duplicate.
In the popup that appears, the Existing Application field is prefilled. Enter the New Application Name to create a duplicate.
Select whether you want to duplicate the application based on a version or an environment under Choose Source.
Select the specific environment or version to duplicate from in the next dropdown.
Select how you want to distribute the duplicated app by choosing Private Share or Marketplace.
Select Duplicate.

4.2 Add developers

The super admin can add developers to assist with the development and distribution process. For detailed instructions on how to add and manage developers, refer to the Add and Manage Developers page.

5. Related topics

What's next

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