Apps

Last Updated: 2022-01-25

Apps are typically the first types of objects that you will create. They help Grouparoo connect to a number of different tools, such as your databases, data warehouses, and other third-party tools. See this doc to learn more about the core concepts in Grouparoo.

With UI Config running and registered, follow the steps below to configure your App(s).

Step 1: Add an App

You can begin the process either from the setup page or the navigation bar.

UI Config: Add App
UI Config: Add App

This will take you to a list of your current apps. Click "Add App".

Apps are enabled by installing plugins. Fortunately, Grouparoo's UI Config helps you install plugins on the fly. When you install a new app, Grouparoo will install the plugin via NPM and add update your package.json and lockfile.

Apps from installed plugins will have an Installed orange badge and are ready to be created immediately. Everything else in the list is a Plugin that can be installed by clicking on it. (Learn more about plugins.)

UI Config: Installing App

Choose the type of App you'd like to add. When you're first getting started, we recommend adding the App that has the majority of your customer data such as a data warehouse or production database replica.

Step 2: Configure Your App

Once you've chosen an App, add the connection details you'll need to connect to this App.

UI Config: Configure App

Step 3 (Optional): App Refresh Query

App Refresh Query allows Grouparoo to scan your data warehouse periodically for new data using a query you define.

The following Plugins support App Refresh Query:

These Apps will have an additional tab at the top of this page titled "Refresh". Clicking that tab will allow you to add a Refresh to your App.

UI Config: Add App Refresh Query

Once you've added an App Refresh Query, you will be able to enter the query you'd like Grouparoo to use to check your App for new data. You can test your query to see what value it will return, and the click "Update" to save.

UI Config: Configure App Refresh Query

Your App will now run all schedules for its sources anytime a new value is returned from this query. To implement App Refresh Query, it's helpful to have a single place you can check for updates in your database, often implemented as metadata written at the end of an ETL process.

Generated Config File

Grouparoo's UI Config will write a JSON file to your local filesystem based on your inputs. That file will be placed in the config/apps directory in your Grouparoo project. You can further edit this file locally or through the UI Config.

Learn more about config files

Next Steps

Your Grouparoo application starts with apps. As you continue to configure your application, you'll want to remember to always start with an App. Want to add a new Destination? Make sure there is an App to support it.

If you're just getting started, move on to create a model next.

Create a source