Creating apps

All apps hosted in the ShopWired app store must use OAuth2 authentication. This is a secure protocol that allows the ShopWired platform to interact with your app without exposing user credentials.

When users install your app, they will be redirected to your specified OAuth2 authentication URL where they can authorise access. Once authorised, your app will receive an access token to securely communicate with ShopWired’s API.

Your app should only request the specific permissions it needs to function. This ensures that users feel confident about the security and privacy of their data when installing your app.

For example, if your app only needs access to order data, it should not request permissions to access product or customer information.

Apps can be developed as either public or private:

• Public apps are listed in the ShopWired app store and are available for any ShopWired user to install
• Private apps are not listed in the app store
• They can only be accessed and installed by users who have the direct installation URL
• This is suitable for invite-only apps or those designed for specific clients

If you initially develop an app as private and later want to make it public, you can submit the necessary details to ShopWired for review.

ShopWired does not provide a hosting environment for apps. This means that you are responsible for hosting your app and ensuring its reliability, security, and uptime. Common hosting platforms include:

• AWS (Amazon Web Services)
• Heroku
• DigitalOcean
• Google Cloud Platform
• Microsoft Azure

Your hosting environment must be capable of handling OAuth2 authentication and responding to API requests from ShopWired.

To create an app for the ShopWired app store, contact support and provide the following details:

• App name: The name you wish to assign to the app
• Main URL: This is the primary URL used by the ShopWired platform to communicate with your app
• For example, this could be the endpoint where ShopWired sends API requests
• Additional URLs: These can be used as OAuth redirect URIs, allowing your app to handle the OAuth2 authentication flow correctly

Once these details are provided, ShopWired will issue you with the following credentials:

• Client ID: A unique identifier for your app
• Signature Secret: Used for signing requests and validating their authenticity
• Client Secret: Used in conjunction with the OAuth2 flow to securely authenticate your app

You will need to securely store these credentials and use them within your app to facilitate communication with the ShopWired platform.

Before an app can be made public and listed in the ShopWired app store, you will need to provide the following:

• App Image: This must be 600px by 600px and will be displayed on the app store page
• Help Guide: A comprehensive guide detailing how to install, set up, and use the app
• This helps users understand the app’s functionality and troubleshoot common issues
• Short Description: A concise summary (1-2 sentences) describing what your app does
• The short description is shown on the main app store listing page
• Long Description: A more detailed explanation of your app’s features, benefits, and use cases
• The long description is shown on the app’s dedicated page in the ShopWired app store

These details will help ensure that your app is presented professionally and provides users with enough information to make an informed decision about installation.

You can choose to charge users a monthly fee for accessing your app. ShopWired will manage the collection of these fees and remit payments to you on a quarterly basis (every three months).

Please note the following:

• ShopWired takes a 20 percent commission from the collected subscription fees
• Payments will be made after the deduction of this commission
• You will receive detailed reports about the number of app installs and the fees collected

This model simplifies the billing process and ensures a consistent experience for users.