5.13 Publish Workflow as an Application (App)

Pop workflows can not only run visually on the canvas but also be published as standalone applications (Apps).
Published Apps can be used for:

Internal business automation
External tool services
Team‑shared processes
No‑code tools for end users
Embedding into Layout Manager to form complete product interfaces

This chapter introduces the full App publishing process, App structure, parameter configuration, version management, and best practices.

🚀 1. What is “App Publishing”?

An App is essentially:

An executable unit that contains input forms, workflow logic, and user interface layout.

A typical App includes:

Component	Description
Workflow (Core Logic)	All automation logic
Input Form (Inputs)	Fields users fill in the App interface
Layout Manager (Layout)	UI structure, panels, charts, text
Outputs	Display of results, text, charts, files, etc.
Version Info	Updates, rollback, metadata

Users can operate an App just like a standalone tool.

🧩 2. Publishing Workflow as an App — Overview

Publishing an App usually requires three steps:

1️⃣ Step 1: Prepare the workflow

Ensure all nodes are configured correctly
Inputs and outputs are clearly defined
Canvas runs successfully without errors
Logs are clean

2️⃣ Step 2: Create an App

Click the menu at the top‑right of the workflow editor:

Publish as App

Fill in:

App name
App description
App icon (optional)
App category
Version number

3️⃣ Step 3: Bind a Layout (Optional but recommended)

You may choose:

Auto‑generated default layout
Manually build a Layout
Use an existing layout template

After saving, a complete App will be generated.

🏗 3. App Interface Structure

The App interface is defined by the Layout Manager.

A typical structure:

[Input Form]
[Run Button]
[Output Display]
    ├ Charts
    ├ Tables
    ├ Text (markdown / HTML)
    ├ File downloads (PDF / Excel)
    └ Custom components

If no Layout is bound, Pop generates a default interface:

Left: Form
Middle: Run
Right: Results

📦 4. Internal Structure of an App

An App contains:

{
  "id": "app_xxxxx",
  "name": "Document Batch Summary Assistant",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "workflowId": "wf_abc123",
  "layoutId": "layout_003",
  "createdAt": "...",
  "updatedAt": "...",
  "inputs": [...],
  "outputs": [...],
  "metadata": {...}
}

Item	Source
workflowId	Linked workflow
layoutId	Linked layout
inputs	Generated from workflow Inputs
outputs	Generated from workflow Outputs
version	Automatically updated

🔄 5. How the App Runs

Published Apps can be launched:

✔ From the App List

Left panel → Apps → Select & run

✔ Embedded into Layout Manager

Add:

Form panel
Chart panel
Text panel
File viewer
ChatOutput and other components

Resulting in a small product interface.

🔧 6. Version Management

Pop automatically records:

Version number
Publish time
Workflow snapshot
Layout snapshot

You can:

Roll back to older versions
Publish a new version
Compare changes (coming soon)

🚨 7. Pre‑Publish Checklist

Item	Status
Workflow runs successfully	✔
Input parameters named clearly	✔
Outputs mapped correctly in Layout	✔
No absolute local file paths	✔
AI models configured properly	✔
HTTP requests tested	✔
Script/Loop nodes safe	✔

🧪 8. Example: “Batch Summary Generator” App

Steps:

Create workflow
- Input: Upload files
- Process: AI summarization
- Output: Summary list
Build Layout
Publish App
- Name: Document Summary Assistant
- Icon: 📝
- Version: 1.0.0
User experience
- Upload → Run → Get summaries

🧭 9. Best Practices

Suggestion	Why
Add default values for all inputs	Prevent empty input errors
Add error handling	Avoid interruptions
Use layout for output	Better UX
Modularize workflow	Easier maintenance
Test across devices	AI/files may behave differently

🎯 10. Summary

App publishing transforms your workflow into:

Reusable automation tools
Complete user‑facing applications
Internal automation entry points
Embeddable UI modules

This bridges the gap between “workflow logic” and “productized applications,” a key capability of Pop.