Initializing an app creates it in the Dash Enterprise App Manager, reserving its name and giving you access to deployment instructions, settings, and the ability to create a workspace.
You don’t need to have an app already running locally before initializing it on Dash Enterprise (but if you do, make sure you’ve read
Preparing Your App for Dash Enterprise). It’s
perfectly fine to initialize an app whose code isn’t written yet.
Initializing an app works differently if your administrator has integrated Dash Enterprise with a GitHub organization.
Initializing an app in the Dash Enterprise App Manager is optional if you plan to deploy it using the CLI (recommended) because the CLI de deploy command can initialize and deploy your app at once.
To initialize an app:
Go to https://<your-dash-enterprise-server>/apps.
Select + Dash App.
Enter a name for your app (this name will be used in your app’s URL). Only alphanumeric characters and hyphens are allowed.
You cannot change this name later, but you can set a title (display name) that will appear for your app users browsing the Portal, as well as for you in the App Manager.
Choose how you want to get started:
Go to https://<your-dash-enterprise-server>/apps.
Select + Dash App.
If you haven’t already, connect your account to GitHub by selecting Connect to GitHub and authorizing the GitHub App that was set up by your administrator.
Choose how you want to get started from the available options.
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The Create New Repository and Use App Template methods allow you to define a new repository within the connected GitHub organization that will be created for the app.
The Connect Existing Repository and Copy Existing Repository methods allow you to get started with a repository that already exists in the connected GitHub organization. It is not possible to use a monorepo (one repository that holds many nested Dash apps).
Fill out the required information (varies depending on the method you chose).
Select Create.
Several things happen:
The App Info opens to the Overview tab, which displays deployment commands. (If you selected Use App Template, go to the Workspace tab to see the code in the IDE).
Your new app is added to https://<your-dash-enterprise-server>/apps.
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From here, you can select your app name to go to the App Info. A quick actions menu is also available.
* You become the owner of this app, and you can set co-owners in App Info > Access > Add Co-Owners.
View the permissions that app co-owners have.
By default, your new app has the Restricted viewer access level, meaning that nobody other than co-owners and administrators has viewer access unless you add them. Viewer access determines who can view the app using its URL as well as in the Portal.
Known issue: If you selected an app template that requires a Redis or Postgres service, the service is not automatically added. Add it by going to Services before deploying the app.
You’re ready to deploy your app using the commands in the Overview. For more information on deploying with Git, see Deploying Apps with Git.