# app-sdk-concepts

> Claude/Codex skill by [@grafana](https://omgskills.com/library/grafana/index.md) · 286 stars · Updated 2026-10-17

Use when starting any grafana-app-sdk work — scaffolding a Grafana app, initializing a Grafana App Platform app, picking a deployment mode (standalone operator / grafana/apps / frontend-only), wiring app-specific config, or onboarding to the SDK. Covers \`grafana-app-sdk\` CLI install, \`project init\` per deployment mode, project layout, the schema-centric workflow (CUE kinds → generated code → reconciler/admission logic), and \`SpecificConfig\` for env-driven app configuration. Use even if the user just says "make a new app", "Grafana app platform", "kinds and watchers", "operator scaffold", or asks about \`apps/\` inside the Grafana repo, without naming the SDK explicitly.

## Install

```sh
git clone https://github.com/grafana/skills /tmp/skills && ln -s /tmp/skills/skills/grafana-app-sdk/app-sdk-concepts ~/.claude/skills/app-sdk-concepts
```

## From README

Grafana App SDK Concepts The grafana-app-sdk is a CLI + Go library for building schema-centric apps on the Grafana App Platform. Apps define resources via CUE schemas ("kinds"), generate Go + TypeScript code, and implement business logic via admission control and reconcilers. Prerequisites Common Workflows Scaffold a standalone operator app Common failure: forgetting go updates the binary — verify with grafana-app-sdk version before init. Scaffold a grafana/apps-style app (inside grafana/grafana) Only available inside the Grafana repo (or fork) — the init command detects apps/ and pkg/registry/apps/ at the repo root. Then register the app inside Grafana (pkg/registry/apps/apps.go + register.go). Full walkthrough in references/deployment-modes.md. End-to-end development loop Always rerun generate after every CUE change — generated code is the API your reconciler sees.

## Links

- HTML page: https://omgskills.com/library/grafana/skills/app-sdk-concepts/
- GitHub: https://github.com/grafana/skills
- Author: [@grafana](https://omgskills.com/library/grafana/index.md)

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