Root Apps FAQ
Hosting
Can I host my own services?
Yes, you can create and host your own services outside of Root. Your Root-hosted, server-side code can communicate with your external service.
Can I self-host?
You can't fully self-host. Your server-side code needs to be hosted by Root and run inside the Root cloud.
Server-side development
Which programming languages can I use for my server-side code?
TypeScript/JavaScript
Client-side development
Which programming languages can I use for my client-side code?
TypeScript/JavaScript
Networking
Can I use a third-party web service?
Yes, your Root-hosted, server-side code can communicate with third-party web services using web sockets. Root is investigating how to support secret storage and webhooks to make this process easier; however, these are not currently implemented.
Test
How do I test my App locally?
The Root SDK includes the devhost command that will run the server side of your App locally on your development machine. The client side of your App will run in a web browser. It's not yet possible to test your App's GUI inside the Root desktop client.
Troubleshooting
What does the error message Community in data is xxxxx but configured for yyyyy mean?
This error occurs during testing with devhost when your rootsdk.sqlite3 database file is configured for the wrong community. Root adds the community ID in your DEV_TOKEN to your rootsdk.sqlite3 file. If you move to a different community (by replacing your DEV_TOKEN), you need a new database file. You can delete the old database file and Root will recreate it on the next run using the new community ID.