The Lifecycle of an App

The lifecycle of an app can be divided into two main phases. The first phase begins when an app is created, and ends when it's published in the Wix App Market. 

The second phase covers everything that happens from that point forward. This article looks at each of these phases, explains what each stage entails, and how an app moves between them.

Phase 1: Initial development

1. Before starting to develop your app, take the time to plan it out.
2. Once you start working on your app it will be labeled as a DRAFT. This is the time to develop your app, prepare marketing materials, and localize it.
3. When your app is ready, make sure to include all the necessary info and submit it for review. Your app will be labelled SUBMITTED and you won't be able to make any changes to your app under 'Build Your App' or 'Publish Your App'. You can still make changes under 'Manage Your App' such as adding team members to your app.
4. Once one of out team begins the review process, it will be labeled IN REVIEW. You still won't be able to make changes to your app.
5. Within 15 business days, you should hear back from the reviewer regarding your submission. There are two possible outcomes:
   1. DECLINED: if your app is declined, you'll get feedback explaining why. You'll have a chance to address the issues and resubmit.
   2. APPROVED: if your app is approved, the App Market team will then publish it in the Wix App Market. It'll now be labelled “PUBLISHED”.

DRAFT: This is when you're working on your app development

SUBMITTED: Once you've completed all the necessary info and submitted it for review you won't be able to make any changes to the 'Build Your App' and 'Publish Your App' sections

IN REVIEW: This means that someone on the team has begun to review your app – you still can't make changes during this phase

DECLINED: If your app is declined, you'll get feedback explaining why. You'll have a chance to address the issues and resubmit.

APPROVED: This stage is when the team is happy with your app, and preparing to set it live

PUBLISHED: Congratulations, your app is now available on the Wix App Market

Phase 2: Subsequent versions

Once your app is published you can continue to make changes and improvements to your app in the Wix Developers Center. Each time you do this, you'll need to submit a new version for approval.

App Declined

If your app is labelled DECLINED, any changes you subsequently make will be part of a new DRAFT. Once you're satisfied with the new version, you can submit it for review again in the App Submissions tab. 

Only when it's submitted will the label change from DECLINED to SUBMITTED. This sends your app back to Step (3) of Phase 1.

App Approved and Published

If your app was PUBLISHED there are two kinds of changes you can make:

1. Changes affecting the live app: changes to the OAuth settings and to Contact Information affect the live app. Changes to webhooks that don't require new permissions also affect the live app. These include editing and deleting webhooks, as well as adding new webhooks which use permissions your app already needed.
2. Changes that require a new version: all other changes to your app won't affect the live app until a new version is submitted and approved by the App Market team. As soon as you make such changes, a new draft of your app is started.

When you're done working on a new version, submit it. For more info on how to manage app versions, check out this article.