📘
Required modules
Required modules: App Engine UI Components and App Engine Cloud Functions. Check your modules at Admin > Licenses. To obtain these modules, contact your IXON account manager or IXON distributor.
These modules are provided together under the App Engine module found in the Machine Insights Cloud pricing list.

📘
Note about App Engine Cloud Functions
Keep in mind that, if you obtain the App Engine module, you will have to contact our Support Team for them to activate the App Engine Cloud Functions license. You can do so by sending an email to [email protected].

App Engine Architecture

You can get basic information about this topic in the Develop custom functionality using the App Engine support article, whereas in this article you will learn more development-related information.

As mentioned in the support article, the App Engine provides the foundational infrastructure to build custom functionalities, integrate external systems, and deploy tailored logic directly into the IXON Cloud.

It is composed by two main domains:

UI Components: The frontend presentation layer responsible for human-machine interfaces and visual rendering. You can start reading about them by navigating to their Getting started section.
Cloud Functions: The secure backend processing layer handling sensitive logic, external communications, and persistent storage. You can start reading about them by navigating to their Getting started section.

Definition of Cloud App, Connectors and AI Embedded

You might have already stumbled upon the IXON Marketplace, and you might have noticed that there are a few different types of Apps.

Among these types, the App Engine allows you to create Cloud Apps, Connectors and AI Embedded applications. Keep reading to see what they consist of and which ones could suit your needs.

Cloud Apps

A Cloud App can consist of either a UI Component, a Cloud Function or both at the same time.

UI Component only: A Cloud App that needs a UI Component to customize data visualization or interaction without needing secrets stored within it. Examples of this can be the Calculate Single Value app and the Active Alarms Overview app.
Cloud Function only: A Cloud App consisting of a Cloud Function that does not possess any visualization in the IXON Web App, but that can still be called if you make use of an external system (another FE system), the valid authorization token and appropriate access rights, and if it's configured in Admin > Apps.

Keep in mind that this solution is only applicable in very specific situations. Typically, the next option would be a better fit.
UI Component and Cloud Function: A Cloud App that needs a UI Component to customize data visualization or interaction, but that also needs a Cloud Function to manipulate more sensitive logic or to interact with storage. Examples of this can be the Service Logbook app or the Document Management app.

Connectors

A Connector is a web application made out of both a UI Component and a Cloud Function, which can serve as an integration with ERPs, CRMs, other SaaS systems or ticketing systems. An example is the AFAS Connector, which is also open-source, but there are more connectors developed by our partners available on the Marketplace.

AI Embedded

An AI Embedded app consists of a web application containing AI functionalities. Examples of this can be the previously mentioned Document Management app, but also Dataray AI, DIALOGO Base and DIALOGO Advanced.