Build and test your app

Build and test your app

Use your sponsored Zendesk Support account to build and test your app. If you haven't built an app yet and would like advice, see the resources below.

Requirements

You must meet certain requirements if you plan on publishing a public app or an integration app in the Zendesk Marketplace. See Requirements for publishing an app.

Requirements for autonomous AI ticketing agents

If you are building an app or integration that functions as an autonomous AI ticketing agent, note the following additional requirements:

• Support all Zendesk ticketing channels: Your solution must allow customers to receive tickets through all standard Zendesk channels. This includes, but isn’t limited to:

  • Web Widget
  • mobile SDKs
  • social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and so forth
  • Zendesk email support addresses
  • Zendesk help center
  • custom API forms

• Send all messages to Zendesk from the beginning: Integrations must send every end user and bot message as part of the ticket conversation from the beginning of the interaction, not just when the ticket is escalated to an agent.

• End user attribution: Each message from an end user should be added as a new comment on the ticket that links to the appropriate Zendesk user profile for the channel. For example, an email from "[email protected]" should either create or reference a Zendesk user profile with that email address.

• Bot message attribution: Bot messages must be sent from a dedicated agent account, with the integration’s name clearly identified. Note that setting up this account uses one agent seat in your Zendesk instance.

General resources

For questions and answers, see the Zendesk Apps framework (ZAF) community.

You can also join the Zendesk Platform Developer Slack channel.

Apps resources

• Zendesk Apps framework docs

• Demo Apps Github repo - Example apps that demonstrate the features and capabilities of the Apps framework. You can use parts of the code in your own app.

• Build your first Support app - A step-by-step guide to creating an app.

• Building a server-side app - A step-by-step guide to creating a Zendesk app that is served from your own infrastructure.

• Design Guidelines - A resource for building a consistent app experience using Garden, Zendesk's design system.

REST API resources

If you plan on using any of the Zendesk REST APIs, see the following resources:

• Zendesk API docs

• Rate limiting - Your integration may not be the only one customers use. So it is good practice to minimize the number of API calls to avoid rate limiting.

• Incremental Exports and side-loading - If you're building anything that requires a lot of ticket data, consider using the Incremental Exports API, as well as side-loading resources.

• Security and Authentication - A few authentication options are available, but Zendesk highly recommends using OAuth2.

  • If you're not familiar with OAuth, see Using OAuth authentication with your application and Adding third-party OAuth to a Support app.
  • If you need a global OAuth client, see Set up a global OAuth client.

• If you plan on making requests to the Zendesk REST API from an external service instead of the Apps framework, see Request header requirements for Marketplace apps.

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Next steps: Set up a global OAuth client