Plan your App Builder app
This guide provides a roadmap for creating App Builder applications that extend Adobe Commerce. Whether you're building an integration for your own business or developing an app for the Adobe Exchange marketplace, understanding the complete lifecycle helps you plan your project and navigate the documentation.
Before writing code, define your requirements and prepare your development environment.
Define your requirements
Identify what your app needs to accomplish:
- What Commerce activities should trigger your app? (orders, customers, products, inventory)
- Does your app need to validate or modify data synchronously, or can it react asynchronously?
- Will merchants need to configure your app through the Admin interface?
- What external systems will your app integrate with?
Choose your approach
Based on your requirements, determine which capabilities you'll need:
| If you need to... | Use |
|---|---|
React to Commerce events without blocking operations | |
Validate or modify data before Commerce continues | |
Add configuration or management pages to the Admin | |
Combine multiple APIs into a single endpoint |
Set up your environment
Prepare the foundation for development:
- Get App Builder access - Request access through your Adobe organization or obtain a trial license
- Configure Adobe Developer Console - Create a project and workspace for your app
- Connect to Commerce - Establish the connection between your App Builder workspace and Commerce instance
- Choose a starter kit - If your use case aligns with common patterns, start with the Integration or Checkout starter kit
The learning path provides detailed guidance for each setup step.
Build your app
With your environment ready, develop your application.
Choose your starting point
Best for connecting Commerce to back-office systems like ERP, PIM, OMS, or CRM. Includes pre-built data flows for customers, orders, products, inventory, and shipments.
Best for customizing checkout experiences with custom payment, shipping, or tax integrations.
Best for unique requirements not covered by starter kits. Start with the learning path to understand the full App Builder ecosystem.
Core extensibility capabilities
Your app can leverage one or more of these capabilities:
| Capability | Use when | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
Events | You need to react to Commerce activities asynchronously (order placed, customer created, product updated) | |
Webhooks | Commerce must wait for a synchronous response before continuing (validate stock, calculate tax, authorize payment) | |
Admin UI SDK | You need to add custom pages, menus, or mass actions to the Commerce Admin | |
API Mesh | You need to combine multiple APIs into a single GraphQL endpoint |
Many apps combine multiple capabilities. For example, an order management integration might use Events to receive order notifications, Webhooks to validate inventory during checkout, and the Admin UI SDK to provide a management interface.
Events vs W\webhooks: Which should I use?
| Scenario | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
Notify external system when an order is placed | Events | External system doesn't need to respond immediately |
Validate product stock before adding to cart | Webhooks | Commerce must wait for the validation result |
Sync customer data to CRM | Events | Sync can happen asynchronously |
Calculate custom shipping rates at checkout | Webhooks | Rates must be returned before checkout continues |
Send order to fulfillment system | Events | Fulfillment processing is asynchronous |
Validate discount code with external promotion engine | Webhooks | Validation result affects the current transaction |
Development best practices
As you build, follow these practices to ensure a smooth path to production:
- Credentials management - Securely handle API keys, tokens, and secrets
- Logging and troubleshooting - Implement effective logging for debugging
- Database storage - Choose appropriate storage solutions for your app data
Quick reference: Documentation by task
| I want to... | Start here |
|---|---|
Get started with App Builder | |
Set up my development environment | |
Integrate with an ERP/OMS/PIM | |
Add custom payment/shipping/tax | |
React to Commerce events | |
Intercept and modify Commerce behavior | |
Add pages to the Admin | |
Submit my app to Adobe Exchange | |
Install an app in Commerce | |
Monitor my app in production | |
Debug event delivery issues |
Related topics
- Extensibility approaches - Understand in-process, out-of-process, and hybrid development
- Extensibility examples - See how App Builder, API Mesh, and Events work together
- Learning path - Curated tutorials and videos for App Builder