Secure Webmaps & Apps

[BrianRassier]

We have a desire to create a custom JS application that consumes a secure WebMap (not publicly available).  This same JS app would be deployed to multiple customers, each pointing at their own secure WebMap.

My question is, is there any benefit (or requirement) to create an "app"?  I'm guessing we could prompt the user for their AGOL credentials, get a token, and then allow access to this WebMap via the token.  So there likely isn't a need for an "app" in this workflow, correct?

When looking at the possibility of using an "app", would that just allow us to register our JS app's URL as a place that users could share their AGOL contents with?  Is that really any different then us asking them to log in, and then using their token to gain access to their AGOL contents?

<Bonus Points:> When looking into adding an App for this, the "purpose" field isn't very clear.  Selecting "ready to use", "configurable", "self-configurable" or "code sample" just adds more questions for me in regard to if an app is needed.  Is there anywhere that explains the purpose of these options in more than just 1 sentence?

[JakeSkinner]

Hi Brian,

My question is, is there any benefit (or requirement) to create an "app"?

Usually the purpose of an app is deliver various bits of functionality to the end user.  This functionality may exist in the web map, but may not be as easy to discover to a user that is not familiar with ArcGIS Online.  A good example of this is the Find, Filter, Edit application.  All of this functionality exists in a web map, but it is laid out nicely in the application for the user to easily discover and use.  Also, the application does not provide the end user with other functionality that they do not need.

If the web map is secure and an application is built from this web map, for example using Web AppBuilder, the end user will be prompted for credentials to access the secure web map/services when opening the application.

If you built your own custom JavaScript application using the ArcGIS JavaScript API, you do have the option to register this with ArcGIS Online.  This simply makes the application discoverable to those that the application is shared to (i.e. Group, entire ArcGIS Online Organization).

[BrianRassier]

Hi Jake -

Thanks for the reply!  It seems to me like many of these things can be done without a registered app.  For example, providing a subset of a webmap functionality in a convenient UX, or prompting the user for credentials (which happens when loading a secure WebMap even without a registered app).  Those could be done with straight JS, and no registered app.  So it sounds like the one added benefit of a registered app is the ability to discover the app.  I'm guessing there are more pros/cons to consider, like oauth logon scenarios etc.?

The App Register link in your post is exactly where my follow-up question came from.  If we're making a straight JS app that uses Web Maps, and we decided to register an app, when would we choose the various options under "purpose" (step 4 in your link)?  And what impact would the selection have?

Thanks Again