Working with Mini Programs

This developer guide is intended for mini program developers to learn how to quickly get started with mini program development.

In this guide, you can see basic concepts about the mini program technology . You can get the available reference resources, such as the Java Script APIs (JSAPIs), Components, Frameworks, and so on. You can also see how JSAPIs and Open APIs combine to be a capability. In addition, you can also quickly get started with quick-start procedures.

About mini program

Mini Program is a new technology that embeds a mobile program into the mobile app. End users can benefit from a similar experience without installing the native app. For developers, mini program provides the following benefits:

  • Low learning curve as it is based on web technologies
  • One code project supports both iOS and Android platforms, close to the native experience
  • Built-in rich components and APIs (such as access to user info, local storage, payment function, etc.)

Below is a process that illustrates how mini programs are developed by web developers to users.

mini program.jpg

Developers can use the web technology and start debugging in the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Mini Program Studio with Domain Specific Language (DSL), such as AXML/ACSS/JS, etc. The codes are then compiled and loaded to the wallet apps . Mini programs can run on the wallet app and provide users with a cross-platform and close-to-native experience.

For more information, see About Mini Program .

Getting started

Before you start, make sure you have completed the following prerequisites:

  • On-boarding to the Mini Program Platform, where you apply for an account to join a workspace. For more information, see Getting Started for Merchant On-Boarding .
  • Assigned with developer roles to a mini program that is created by your admim. For more information, see Workflow Procedures of the Mini Program Platform product.
  • Download the Mini Program Studio developer tool to write, deploy and debug mini programs.
  • Upload the mini program from Mini Program Studio to Mini Program Platform for testing and publishing.

Refer to the Quick Start guide for detailed steps.

References

You can find resources with samples and other details to create mini programs. To be specific, you can refer to the following resources available:

In addition to the basic APIs, a set of JSAPIs and Open APIs can work together to provide capabilities, for exmaple the Payment capability, to users. For more information, see Capabilities .

Next steps

Quick Start