Public sample apps database

Every once in a while a new user will ask for a sample app and we have no resource we can point them to as there’s no single database. Even if we are experienced, we sometimes don’t have an easy way to find a sample app from among those that other people have created and shared either here or in their portfolio. So, I was wondering if there may be value in making an open source implementation.

If we did it, how would it function? Please provide your valuable inputs.

Some things to think about:

  1. Would it be better to build an app (with limited search options) or a website (with tags, faceted search etc.)?
  2. Would it be better to ask people to fill out a form that creates an entry which is curated and published after cleaning up the metadata or published as submitted?
  3. If we did categorize the sample apps, what facets would we include?
    a. AppSheet terms (table, view, action, workflow)
    b. App feature (CRUD, integrations, email, calendar, dashboard, maps, charting etc.)
    c. App use (project management, inventory management etc.)
    d. Target industry (construction, manufacturing, supply chain, operations etc.)
    e. App phase (design, deploy, admin, integration, upgrade etc.)
    f. Difficulty level (level 0, level 1, level 2 etc.)

Thanks.

3 Likes

Bellave_Jayaram:

Every once in a while a new user will ask for a sample app and we have no resource we can point them to as there’s no single database.

I agree, we could use a central, searchable database of all public sample apps.

[Feedback on sample apps](https://community.appsheet.com/t/feedback-on-sample-apps/17088/15) Announcements

Yes, there seems to be a disconnect between the AppSheet-provided sample apps, and the ones created by users and submitted as public samples. User-submitted samples are only available on their profile page, and you have to click into each user to view their samples. There’s no way to search all user-submitted samples like you can with AppSheet’s default samples. Between the search issue, and lack of ranking/download count, there isn’t much incentive for users to submit their own sample apps. A…

I think there are enough of us in the community to pull together at least 10-15 samples once we get the word out. And it should grow quickly once we have a central place to post them.

Bellave_Jayaram:

  • Would it be better to build an app (with limited search options) or a website (with tags, faceted search etc.)?> - Would it be better to ask people to fill out a form that creates an entry which is curated and published after cleaning up the metadata or published as submitted?

I’d start with an app, or maybe just a public Google Form and a published GSheet. Then you could make the sheet view only, and filter the rows that get published.

I’ll add my sample apps if you want to start something. And we can search the forums for old posts to find more.

1 Like

Thanks for the suggestion. I have set up a Google form here

Please look it over and see if I need to add anything else.

The Gsheet containing the responses is public and can be found here

I will continue populating this sheet as time permits and I would greatly appreciate if others can do so as well.

Thanks.

3 Likes

I tried to look at the “Public sample apps” Google spreadsheet but got an “Access denied” error.

By the way, I am coming to this thread quite late but have been thinking along the same lines for quite some time. Here’s a similar proposal of mine:

https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/Feature-Ideas/Improved-integration-between-user-and-AppSheet-generated/idi-p/516250

Thanks for sharing the sheet with me. I’ll add some information about some apps I’ve made.