Overview

Introduction to the Splunk App Framework

The App Framework enables you to:

• Create apps and add-ons that extend core Splunk capabilities.
• Gain exposure to the growing Splunk ecosystem by uploading apps and add-ons to SplunkBase.

What are apps and add-ons?

Both apps and add-ons are small packages that contain code, configuration files, and domain-specific knowledge. Apps almost always extend the Splunk user interface, and tend to be more feature-rich than add-ons. Add-ons generally include configurations that encapsulate more Splunk knowledge and less extended interface functionality than an app.

It is not uncommon for an app to be loosely coupled with one or more add-ons, and mulitple apps and add-ons can function simultaneously within the App Framework.

Python and JavaScript developers can use the App Framework to take advantage of the CherryPy embedded app server and a mature tool chain, which facilitate rapid development, portability, and code reuse.

The following figures provide an App Framework visualization:

'Splunk App Framework Touchpoints' shows the Splunk application stack, focusing on the app framework layer.

'Splunk App Components' is a Venn Diagram showing more app or add-on component implementation details and scope. The figure also shows the related file directory structure.

Use the following resources to learn more about the App Framework, including which apps and add-ons are already available:

• Read through the 'Frequently Asked Questions' to find answers to questions similar to the ones you may have.
• Explore 'App Framework Elements' to get a better understanding of the components behind Splunk apps and add-ons.
• Continue to the 'Getting Started' section to learn about the available development resources.
• Scroll down to the 'Using the Splunk App Framework Docs' section at the bottom of this page to read about specific topics.