Get started with Connect Platform

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Difference between Connect Platform and OCP

Connect Platform for Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) is the first version of Connect Platform and uses the ODP database, so it is only compatible with ODP.

Optimizely Connect Platform (OCP) is the second version of OCP and provides its own flexible database that you can personalize to fit your needs, so it will eventually be compatible with all Optimizely products. It also includes a user interface (UI) for an end-user-friendly way to manage data syncs to other Optimizely products.

Connect Platform for Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) lets you build your own integrations with ODP for a personalized solution that fits your business needs. There are three main parts to Connect Platform:

• Serverless compute platform – Optimizely manages the server space and infrastructure on which you can build apps.
• Development environment – The Connect Platform command-line interface (CLI) lets you manage your apps (including scaffolding, key-value storage, and more). Connect Platform also has software development kits (SDKs) you can use to interact with the ODP APIs.
• App marketplace – When you finish developing your app, publish it to the Connect Platform app marketplace (the App Directory in ODP). You can make your app publicly available to Optimizely customers, or keep it private.

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Note

To determine if Connect Platform is a good fit for your use case, see When to use Connect Platform.

Get started

1. Request a Connect Platform developer account using one of the links below:
   • Tech partner – Use this sign-up form if you are in a company that has your own software that you want to integrate with ODP.
   • Solution partner – Use this sign-up form if you want to create a third-party app in Connect Platform.

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     Note

     During onboarding, you are given one of two roles:

     • Developer – Lets you run commands in the Connect Platform CLI except for those that let you publish your app to the public in the ODP App Directory.
     • Publisher – Same access as the developer role, plus you can publish apps to the public in the ODP App Directory.

2. Configure the Connect Platform command-line interface (CLI), where you develop, manage, and publish your OCP app.
3. Configure your preferred IDE (for example, Visual Studio Code), where you write the code for your app in TypeScript.

Connect Platform resources

• For a quick walkthrough of building an app, see Quickstart: Build an app.
• To learn more about Connect Platform concepts (such as app structure, storage, logging, and more), see Core concepts and Reference.
• To track new features and updates in Connect Platform, see the Connect Platform release notes.

How long it takes to build a Connect Platform app

The length of time it takes to develop and deliver a Connect Platform app varies based on multiple factors:

• Your familiarity with ODP data model and integration methods (APIs and S3 buckets) – If you have never worked with ODP before, you should familiarize yourself with ODP’s data model and APIs. Lack of familiarity with ODP can add to the amount of time to deliver a Connect Platform app as you need to take time to learn ODP before you can build an app in Connect Platform.
• Your familiarity with Connect Platform and TypeScript – Connect Platform uses the TypeScript programming language and provides a serverless environment for hosting code. Connect Platform also provides tools for data transformation, scheduling jobs, creating webhooks, and building app settings interfaces (like authorization, toggles, buttons, drop-down lists, and field mapping). Connect Platform includes easy app lifecycle management (install and uninstall), app visibility management (public or private), and release management (dev, beta, production). Lack of familiarity with Connect Platform and the TypeScript programming language can add to the amount of time to deliver a Connect Platform app.
• The app’s scope of functionality – Is the functionality of the app you want to build simple or complex? The more complex functionality you want to include can add to the time to deliver. Before beginning development, you should write a specification of how you want the app to work (triggers, APIs, transformations, and so on).
• Your familiarity with the technology you want to integrate with ODP – When building an integration, it is important you understand the system you are integrating with ODP. This includes the system’s overall offering, API documentation, and the intended outcomes and use cases you are unlocking by integrating the other system with ODP.
• Available resources from the technology you want to integrate with ODP – When building an app, it is important to have access to a sandbox environment (or, less ideally, a production environment) of the technology you are integrating with. Many technology companies have support channels or developer relations teams that are available to answer ad-hoc questions. Easy access to sandbox environments and support resources translates to quicker Connect Platform app development.

Overall, as a developer gains experience with ODP and Connect Platform, the time to deliver an app can shorten drastically.