Introduction

Alien Miniapps are web applications that run directly inside the Alien native app. They provide a seamless, integrated experience for users, allowing them to interact with your services without leaving the Alien environment.

Why build a Miniapp?

Miniapps offer several advantages over traditional web applications:

• Seamless Integration: Access Alien’s native features like identity, payments, and storage via a secure bridge.
• Improved Distribution: Your app is discoverable directly within the Alien ecosystem.
• High Performance: Miniapps run in an optimized WebView environment.
• Native Look & Feel: Use our SDK components to match the Alien app’s design language.

How it Works

A Miniapp is essentially a standard web application (built with React, Vue, or any other framework) that is registered as a Provider on the Alien Network and communicates with the Alien host app through the Alien Bridge.

1. Creation: Register your app in the Developer Portal to get a unique slug and configure your environment.
2. Integration: Use the @alien-id/bridge SDK to communicate with the Alien host app.
3. Submission: Once ready, submit your app for review to make it available in the public Alien App Store.

1. Creation & Development

The first step is to create your Miniapp in the Developer Portal .

Configuration Requirements

To create your app, you’ll need to provide:

• Name: The display name of your application.
• Description: A short summary of what your app does.
• Logo: An icon that will be displayed in the Alien App.
• URL: The public URL where your app is hosted.
• Allowed Origins: The domains where your miniapp is hosted (for security validation).

Testing & Launching

Once created, a unique slug is automatically generated from your app’s name. You can use this slug to test your app:

• Local Testing: You can test your app in a regular browser using the Bridge SDK.
• Alien App Launch: Open the Alien App and search for your app by its exact slug. This allows you to launch and test your app in the actual native environment before it’s public.

2. Store Submission

When your app is ready for the public, you can submit it for review using the submission form in the Developer Portal. This step requires additional information for the store listing:

• Caption: A catchy one-liner for the store listing.
• Screenshots: Images showcasing your app’s interface.
• Developer Email: For contact regarding the review process.

Review Lifecycle

Your app progresses through several review stages:

1. Not Submitted: The app is created and can be launched via slug search, but is not visible in the public store.
2. Pending: You have submitted your app for review.
3. Live: Your app is approved and discoverable by all Alien users in the store.
4. Rejected: The submission was not approved (feedback will be provided).

Next Steps

• Bridge Communication - Technical details on the bridge protocol.
• Installing the SDK:

  npm install @alien-id/bridge