You can build a Freshsales app by using the following steps.
Apps built on the Freshworks platform are compatible with the latest and immediately preceding versions of the following browsers.
- Google Chrome
- Firefox
- Edge
- Safari
Install NVM
Node Version Manager (NVM) enables you to install and work with multiple versions of Node.js. You can use NVM to install Node.
- To install NVM:
- On Mac or Linux, follow the installation and upgrade steps.
- On Windows, navigate to the release channel > Assets, download the nvm-setup.zip file, extract the contents of the file, and use the installer in the extracted files.
- Run the following command to verify the NVM installation. $ nvm --version
Install Node
- To install Node using NVM, run the following command.
$ nvm install 18
Note:With the latest FDK version, support for building apps on earlier versions of Node.js is unavailable.
- Run the following command to verify the Node installation.
$ node --version
Note: On Windows, if the Node version is not displayed, you should run the nvm on command to enable nvm.
- Run the following command to set the default Node version: $ nvm alias default 18
- On Windows, to install the tools and configurations required to start using Node, use the following command. $ npm install --global --production windows-build-tools For more information, see the write-up on node-gyp.
Install the CLI
- Ensure to use npm for CLI installation. Also, ensure to use the npm version that is shipped with Node. For information on supported Node versions, see FDK and compatible Node.js versions. Use of any other npm version or use of alternative package managers such as YARN can affect the CLI installation and dependencies management.
- Uninstall the previous CLI version by using the npm uninstall fdk -g command.
- The Developer portal and SDK Terms of Use apply to the use of the CLI.
- To install the latest CLI version, run the following command. Copied Copy
- To install the CLI version that immediately precedes FDK 9.0.0, run the following command. Copied Copy
- Run the following command to verify the CLI installation. $ fdk version
1 | npm install https://cdn.freshdev.io/fdk/latest.tgz -g |
1 | npm install https://dl.freshdev.io/cli/fdk.tgz -g |
Note:This FDK/CLI version is compatible only with Node.js 14; it involves the use of platform version 2.2 for building apps. Support for Node.js 14.xx and platform version 2.2 will be deprecated by July 31, 2023. Ensure to migrate to FDK 9.0.0 before the deprecation. For any migration related information, see Migration overview.
Create your First App
You can use the following steps to create an app that displays a sample text and button (to open a modal) in the INTEGRATIONS section of the Contact Details, Deal Details, and Sales Account Details pages.
- From the command line, navigate to the empty directory in which you want to create an app.
- Run the following command. $ fdk create A prompt to choose a product is displayed.
- Select freshworks_crm and press Enter. A new app is created based on the your_first_app template.
The following directories and files are created as a result of the fdk create command.
| Directory/File | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| app/* | Contains all the files required for the front-end component of an app. The JS file follows the ES5 standard. | ||
| app/index.html | Contains files to render front-end components of an app. This is the first page that is loaded when the app is activated. When building an app, if the app uses Data methods, Request method, Installation Parameters, or Data Storage, update the index.html file with the following reference to fresh_client.js:
|
||
| app/scripts | Contains all the JavaScript files required to support the front-end functionality of an app. | ||
| app/scripts/app.js | Contains the app logic to display a sample text and button (to open a modal) in the INTEGRATIONS section of the Contact Details page, Deal Details, and Sales Account Details pages. | ||
| app/styles | Contains the styles required for the front-end components of an app. | ||
| app/styles/styles.css | Contains CSS rules that are incorporated to HTML files, when referenced. | ||
| app/styles/images | Contains images that can be used in the app. | ||
| app/styles/images/icon.svg | Contains the app icon. The icon file should be of SVG type with a resolution of 64 x 64 pixels. | ||
| app/views | Contains files that, through the front-end components of an app, present data to app users and collect user actions. | ||
| app/views/modal.html | Contains the code to receive and send information between the Freshsales UI and app instance. | ||
| config/* | Contains the installation parameters and OAuth configuration files. | ||
| config/iparams.json* | Contains all the installation parameters whose values are set when the app is installed. For more information, see Installation Parameters. | ||
| manifest.json* | Contains details such as the platform version the app uses, product to which the app belongs, event listeners, SMI functions that can be invoked from the app’s front end component, and npm packages that the app uses (dependencies). | ||
| README.md | Contains additional instructions, information, and code-related specifications pertaining to the app. |
*When building an app, do not modify these file/folder names.
Notes:
1. The iparam_test_data.json file has been deprecated. Before testing the app, navigate to http://localhost:10001/custom_configs and enter appropriate values for the configured installation parameters.
2. If you use React, Ember, Vue, or any other front-end framework, include the source files of your app in the src directory, to ensure quick app reviews.
Test a front-end app
- To test your app, use the latest version of Chrome.
- Ensure that you sign up for a Freshsales Suite account.
- From the command line, navigate to the directory that contains the app related files and run the following command. $ fdk run
- Log in to your Freshsales Suite account.
- To the account URL, append ?dev=true.
Example URL: https://domain.myfreshworks.com/crm/sales/contacts/view/401033886912?dev=true - To allow the Chrome browser to connect to the test server that runs on HTTP,
- Navigate to Settings > Advanced > Privacy and security > Site settings > Insecure content.
- In the Allow section, click Add and enter the account URL.
Example URL: https://domain.myfreshworks.com/crm/sales
-
From the homepage of your account, navigate to the appropriate location where your app is to be deployed, verify that the app is rendered and test your app’s function.
Or
On the account page, from the left global sidebar, select Contacts. On the contacts page, click any contact. The app is displayed in the left navigation pane of a contact details window.
Notes:
1. The extent of app testing is captured through the code coverage summary. For apps to be successfully published in the Freshworks Marketplace, each component in the coverage summary should be at least 80%. For more information, see Code coverage.
2. When testing your app, if you run into any issue, for a quick resolution from the support team, attach detailed logs of the output in your support ticket.
Validate and Pack
To check if the app is error-free and package it for submission, follow the given steps.
-
To validate the code, run the following command.
$ fdk validate [--app-dir DIR]
Here, DIR is the relative or absolute path to the app directory. If there are errors in the code, corresponding violations are displayed. To auto-fix certain errors and display only those that need manual fixing, use the $fdk validate --fix command. Ensure to fix all violations before packing the app.
-
To pack the app for submission, run the following command.
$ fdk pack [--app-dir DIR]
The command generates the dist/<app_directory>.zip file.
- To publish the app to the Freshworks Marketplace, navigate to the Freshsales developer portal and upload the packed file. For more information on the app submission process, see Types of Apps.