Public Marketplace apps
Public apps are a type of Marketplace application that is available to all SitecoreAI organizations.
Unlike custom apps, public apps require approval from Sitecore. When approved and published, they are listed in the public Marketplace, discoverable to all Sitecore organizations. This makes public apps ideal for extensions and customizations that could potentially benefit many Sitecore organizations.
As the developer, you are responsible for maintaining the app, and all the app configuration remains within your organization.
Required Cloud Portal roles and app actions
The actions you can perform with a public Marketplace app depend on your Cloud Portal role and whether the app was created by your organization or your organization is using an app created by a different organization.
After an app is installed in an organization, team members with app access can find and start using it in the app's extension points.
Extension points and API access
When configuring a Marketplace app in the Cloud Portal, you have to choose at least one extension pointextension point, and optionally, you can also choose the SitecoreAI APIs the app needs to access.
Extension points and API access are not dependent on each other. For example, you can display your app in the standalone extension point and still use SitecoreAI APIs. Your app can interact with the enabled APIs in all the enabled extension points.
Although extension points and API access are not interdependent, they often complement each other. Consider the following scenarios:
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A Marketplace app that generates AI summaries in the SitecoreAI Page builder can appear in the context panel extension point. To read and write page content, it also needs to access SitecoreAI APIs.
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A Marketplace app that loads a third-party icon library in the SitecoreAI Page builder can appear in the custom field extension point. Depending on the app's functionality, it might not require access to the SitecoreAI APIs.
Permissions
Marketplace apps load inside a sandboxed iframe within extension points. This sandbox acts as a security barrier, automatically blocking pop-ups and clipboard access. As the app developer, you can bypass these default restrictions by enabling the corresponding permissions during app configuration.
The permission settings apply to all extension points where your app appears.
When you enable these permissions, your app can:
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Open pop-ups - allow your app to open additional browser windows or tabs. Ideal for displaying, for example, login and payment flows. This setting also enables opening in-app links in new tabs.
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Copy to clipboard - allow your app to copy content to the user's clipboard.
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Read from clipboard - allow your app to read content from the user's clipboard.
The person who installs the app can review the required permissions during app installation.
Deployment URL
When configuring a Marketplace app in the Cloud Portal, you have to provide your app's deployment URL. This is the public HTTPS link to where your app is hosted. Note that Sitecore does not host your app.
You must provide a temporary URL before developing your app, then replace it with the final, public HTTPS link after development.
Here's an example deployment URL: https://my-app.com
Preparing to submit your app for approval
Before submitting your app for approval from Sitecore, you must prepare for app submission. These preparations ensure that your app is ready for distribution and meets data security and compliance requirements.
Sitecore or the user of your application may contact you and request additional information about your app.
Developer profile
The developer profile lets Marketplace app developers introduce themselves to the Sitecore community. A complete, up-to-date profile helps increase transparency and trust in the developer's work and gives visibility to all their public apps.
Each Cloud Portal organization has one developer profile. As the developer, you complete your profile by adding your own or your company name, your photo or company logo, a brief summary of your business, links to your website, social media accounts, and contact information.
You must complete your developer profile before publishing your first public app. Completing your profile is not required for custom apps.
After publishing your first public app, all users of the public Marketplace can view your developer profile. On the profile page, users can also view a list of all your public apps.
Make sure to keep your developer profile up to date as your profile details change.
Configuration changes to installed apps
As the app developer, you can always modify the app configuration as requirements change. However, after the app is installed in at least one organization, certain changes require that each organization manually updates the app. In this scenario, the app status on the My apps page changes to Update required, and an organization admin or owner must update the app to receive the latest configuration changes.
The following configuration changes require manually updating the app:
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API access - every change to API access, such as enabling or disabling SitecoreAI APIs.
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App permissions - every change to app permissions, such as enabling or disabling pop-ups.
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Extension points - the following changes:
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Enabling or disabling the standalone extension point.
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Enabling any extension point in the SitecoreAI group when all were previously disabled.
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Disabling the last remaining enabled extension point in the SitecoreAI group.
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The following configuration changes immediately and automatically take effect in all organizations, with no manual update required:
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Extension points - enabling or disabling individual extension points within the SitecoreAI group as long as at least one extension point in the group was enabled before the change and remains enabled after the change.
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Other configuration changes - changes not listed above, such as updates to the app name, description, headline, deployment URL, screenshots, or logo.