ArcGIS AppStudio Retirement FAQ

ChrisLeSueur · ‎02-28-2023

This blog post will answer questions in detail about the ArcGIS AppStudio retirement plan. Please see the “ArcGIS AppStudio Retirement RoadMap and Beyond ” blog post for more information about the retirement roadmap, the AppStudio 5.5 release, and the migration options available.

FAQ

When will ArcGIS AppStudio be retired?

ArcGIS AppStudio will be retired in February 2025.

UPDATE: Starting March 1, 2024, ArcGIS AppStudio (Developer Edition) will no longer be available for new users. Existing customers with an ArcGIS AppStudio (Developer Edition) license will have support until February 2025.

What is the last release of ArcGIS AppStudio?

On February 28th, 2023, we released ArcGIS AppStudio 5.5. AppStudio 5.5 is a “Long Term Support” (LTS) release of the product and the last major release of AppStudio. Esri will deliver any updates to the product as hotfixes to address significant bugs, maintain compatibility with app stores, and comply with security requirements until the retirement date. No new functionality will be added to AppStudio after the 5.5 release.

Learn more about What's New in ArcGIS AppStudio 5.5 LTS (Feb 2023)

How do I download ArcGIS AppStudio Desktop and ArcGIS AppStudio player?

Starting March 1, 2024, ArcGIS AppStudio (Developer Edition) will no longer be available for new users. Existing ArcGIS AppStudio customers can download the latest version of AppStudio Desktop and AppStudio Player from these links:

Download ArcGIS AppStudio 5.5 on your desktop

Download ArcGIS AppStudio Player 5.5

Should I use AppStudio when starting a new app?

Native mobile app development can be a lengthy process with expectations of a long app lifespan, with that in we recommend mind you choose an alternative solution to AppStudio when starting a new app project.

See the “ArcGIS AppStudio Retirement Roadmap and Beyond ” blog for more information about alternative solutions and migration options.

Can I still publish my apps to the app stores (Google Play and Apple App Store)?

The AppStudio Cloud Make build service will be retired in February 2025. Up until the retirement date you will be able to build (using Cloud Make) your app and deploy your apps to app stores (Google Play and Apple App Store).

Depending on your deployment needs, the builds from Cloud Make can also be used to deliver apps directly to users via side-loading apps or using a mobile device management (MDM) system.

Will my custom apps stop working after February 2025?

No, your app will not automatically stop working after February 2025. But, after this date, you cannot expect that you will be able to update your apps. If your app is in a public app store it is most likely that at some future date after 2025, your app will become incompatible with app store security and platform requirements.

Will AppStudio Player still be available?

Yes, AppStudio Player will be still available to download from the app stores and the AppStudio resource page until February 2025, however, there will be no official support after that.
We expect but cannot guarantee that AppStudio Player will continue to work for some time beyond February 2025 depending on app store security and platform requirements.

Can I still download AppStudio Desktop before retirement?

Yes, the ArcGIS AppStudio Desktop installation files will remain on the AppStudio Resource page until February 2025.

Will I have access to Esri Technical Support for AppStudio?

Technical Support for AppStudio will be available until February 2025.

Can I simply move my AppStudio projects to the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt?

The ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt (previously known as the ArcGIS Runtime for Qt) are the core mapping components that AppStudio is built upon. AppStudio developers familiar with Qt/QML should consider this product as a possible migration path for their app projects. But there is no simple way to port or migrate an AppStudio app project to the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt. AppStudio app development relies heavily upon a set of cross-platform components that are part of the “AppStudio AppFramwork”. This AppFramework is not part of the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt, and that means developers would be required to implement those components using the libraries and components offered by Qt. Also, developers must factor in an update to the underlying version of the Qt software. Some development effort would be required to move AppStudio apps built on Qt 5.x to the new ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt built with Qt 6.x.

ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS QuickCapture are built using AppStudio, will these apps continue to be available?

Yes, updates to Survey123 and QuickCapture will continue their normal schedule and new features will be added to both products, across all supported platforms.
These products will continue beyond the lifespan of ArcGIS AppStudio. Work has started on the next generation of Survey123 and QuickCapture using the Maps SDK for .NET MAUI and the ArcGIS Maps SDK for .NET (MAUI) which will better support the growth of the products in the future. The .NET MAUI versions of Survey123 and QuickCapture will be compatible with the Survey123 and QuickCapture projects you are using today. Subscribe to the Survey123 newsletter to stay tuned.

What about the developers leveraging the Survey123 add-in framework (Beta)?

The Survey123 add-in framework will continue to work as documented on our Early Adopter Community website. No further development is planned.

What about developers leveraging the Survey123 and QuickCapture AppStudio enterprise templates to build custom versions of Survey123 and QuickCapture with additional functionality?

Source code of Survey123 and QuickCapture is no longer available as an AppStudio Enterprise Template to ArcGIS AppStudio developers. However, access to the source code for the last versions supported by ArcGIS AppStudio can be requested using this form. Access to the source code is provided on a case-by-case basis.

What options does Esri provide for customers interested in internally deploying custom-signed versions of Survey123 or QuickCapture within their organization, or in deploying a custom-branded version of Survey123 or QuickCapture to the app stores?

Esri is considering alternative options to deploy custom-signed and custom-branded versions of Survey123 and QuickCapture without the need to have developer skills. Please contact survey123@esri.com or quickcapture@esri.com respectively for details.

JamesGough · ‎03-02-2023

This is unfortunate, last month we just released an app built with AppStudio.

It would be great if you could publish a guide on migrating from AppStudio to ArcGIS Maps SDK for Qt. That seems like the easiest path, since from my understanding, we would be able to reuse all of our QML code.