Sidebar apps

Overview

Sidebar Apps are independent and optional applications that run alongside a primary application (i.e., the “Startup App”) within a single iTwin Studio session. They are built, licensed, delivered, and updated independently, enabling flexible workflows, third-party integrations, and on-demand feature access. This approach encourages an ecosystem similar to VS Code extensions, where users can tailor their environment to their needs.

Key Takeaways:

No breaking changes: Existing Startup Apps (e.g., OpenSite+) continue to work as before.
Feature-flagged: Currently limited to iTwinStudio beta builds in the QA environment.
Reuse: Sidebar Apps can be shared across multiple Startup Apps.
Easier development: Smaller apps mean faster build times and simpler maintenance.
Independent updates: Sidebar Apps can be updated and released on their own schedule.
Marketplace: Centralized place to discover, purchase, approve, and install apps. Publish once and your app is accessible in several Startup Apps.

Typical Workflows

For End Users:

Install a Startup App (e.g., Substation, Synchro+).
Sign in and select your iTwin.
Open the Marketplace (itself a Sidebar App).
Browse, purchase, and install Sidebar Apps.
Restart the Startup App to activate new Sidebar Apps.
Access Sidebar Apps via the sidebar buttons.

Admin Features (TBD - planned):

Approve or auto-install apps for all users in an iTwin.
Restrict app installation to vetted or purchased apps.
View usage analytics and manage app permissions.

Download iTwin Studio Beta.
Target the QA environment if you have previously forced your environment to Production.
The feature is activated only if you have the Marketplace App installed. So, install and run the Marketplace App by clicking the links below:
- Marketplace Sidebar App for iTwinStudio
- You can also install and run the app from the command line if the above does not work:
```
iTwinStudio apps run marketplace
```
- On macOS, if you get iTwinStudio: command not found, run:
```
iTwinStudio addPath
```
Then restart your terminal and retry the command.
Browse and install any Sidebar App you’d like, and close the window when you are finished.
Run any Startup App. If you do not have a Startup App installed, you can install and run a simple viewer by clicking the links below:
- Run the iModel Viewer Startup App for iTwinStudio
- You can also run the app from the command line if the above does not work:
```
iTwinStudio apps run itwin-studio-visualizer
```
To remove Sidebar Apps, uninstall them from the Marketplace. To uninstall the Marketplace App itself:
```
iTwinStudio apps uninstall marketplace
```

If you are interested in developing a ‘Sidebar App’, reach out to the App Developers channel on Microsoft Teams, or reach out directly to Kevin Krisfalusy or John DiMatteo (@johnnyd710) to help you get started.

FAQ

Q: Can Sidebar Apps share state?

A: Only through shared iTwin.js libraries (e.g., selection set, current view). Direct cross-app communication is discouraged to ensure stability.

Sidebar apps

Overview

Typical Workflows

How do I enable ‘Sidebar Apps’?

Developing a Sidebar App

FAQ