docs/content/developers/apps/getting-started-with-apps/about-apps.md

---
title: About apps
intro: 'You can build integrations with the {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}{% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}{% else %}{% data variables.product.product_name %}{% endif %} APIs to add flexibility and reduce friction in your own workflow.{% ifversion fpt or ghec %} You can also share integrations with others on [{% data variables.product.prodname_marketplace %}](https://github.com/marketplace).{% endif %}'
redirect_from:
  - /apps/building-integrationssetting-up-a-new-integration
  - /apps/building-integrations
  - /apps/getting-started-with-building-apps
  - /apps/about-apps
  - /developers/apps/about-apps
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghes: '*'
  ghae: '*'
  ghec: '*'
topics:
  - GitHub Apps
---
Apps on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} allow you to automate and improve your workflow. You can build apps to improve your workflow.{% ifversion fpt or ghec %} You can also share or sell apps in [{% data variables.product.prodname_marketplace %}](https://github.com/marketplace). To learn how to list an app on {% data variables.product.prodname_marketplace %}, see "[Getting started with GitHub Marketplace](/marketplace/getting-started/)."{% endif %}

{% data reusables.marketplace.github_apps_preferred %}, but GitHub supports both {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}. For information on choosing a type of app, see "[Differences between GitHub Apps and OAuth Apps](/developers/apps/differences-between-github-apps-and-oauth-apps)."

{% data reusables.apps.general-apps-restrictions %}

For a walkthrough of the process of building a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}, see "[Building Your First {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}](/apps/building-your-first-github-app)."

## About {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}

{% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} are first-class actors within GitHub. A {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} acts on its own behalf, taking actions via the API directly using its own identity, which means you don't need to maintain a bot or service account as a separate user.

{% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} can be installed directly on organizations and personal accounts and granted access to specific repositories. They come with built-in webhooks and narrow, specific permissions. When you set up your {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}, you can select the repositories you want it to access. For example, you can set up an app called `MyGitHub` that writes issues in the `octocat` repository and _only_ the `octocat` repository. To install a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}, you must be an organization owner or have admin permissions in a repository.

{% data reusables.apps.app_manager_role %}

{% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} are applications that need to be hosted somewhere. For step-by-step instructions that cover servers and hosting, see "[Building Your First {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}](/apps/building-your-first-github-app)."

To improve your workflow, you can create a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} that contains multiple scripts or an entire application, and then connect that app to many other tools. For example, you can connect {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} to GitHub, Slack, other in-house apps you may have, email programs, or other APIs.

Keep these ideas in mind when creating {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}:

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
* {% data reusables.apps.maximum-github-apps-allowed %} {% endif %}
* A {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} should take actions independent of a user (unless the app is using a [user-to-server](/apps/building-github-apps/identifying-and-authorizing-users-for-github-apps#user-to-server-requests) token). {% data reusables.apps.expiring_user_authorization_tokens %}

* Make sure the {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} integrates with specific repositories.
* The {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} should connect to a personal account or an organization.
* Don't expect the {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} to know and do everything a user can.
* Don't use a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} if you just need a "Login with GitHub" service. But a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} can use a [user identification flow](/apps/building-github-apps/identifying-and-authorizing-users-for-github-apps/) to log users in _and_ do other things.
* Don't build a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} if you _only_ want to act as a GitHub user and do everything that user can do.{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
* {% data reusables.apps.general-apps-restrictions %}{% endif %}

To begin developing {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}, start with "[Creating a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}](/apps/building-github-apps/creating-a-github-app/)."{% ifversion fpt or ghec %} To learn how to use {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} Manifests, which allow people to create preconfigured {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}, see "[Creating {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} from a manifest](/apps/building-github-apps/creating-github-apps-from-a-manifest/)."{% endif %}

## About {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %}

OAuth2 is a protocol that lets external applications request authorization to private details in a user's {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} account without accessing their password. This is preferred over Basic Authentication because tokens can be limited to specific types of data and can be revoked by users at any time.

{% data reusables.apps.deletes_ssh_keys %}

An {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} uses {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} as an identity provider to authenticate as the user who grants access to the app. This means when a user grants an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} access, they grant permissions to _all_ repositories they have access to in their account, and also to any organizations they belong to that haven't blocked third-party access.

Building an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} is a good option if you are creating more complex processes than a simple script can handle. Note that {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %} are applications that need to be hosted somewhere.

Keep these ideas in mind when creating {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %}:

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
* {% data reusables.apps.maximum-oauth-apps-allowed %} {% endif %}
* An {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} should always act as the authenticated {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} user across all of {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} (for example, when providing user notifications).
* An {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} can be used as an identity provider by enabling a "Login with {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}" for the authenticated user.
* Don't build an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} if you want your application to act on a single repository. With the `repo` OAuth scope, {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %} can act on _all_ of the authenticated user's repositories.
* Don't build an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} to act as an application for your team or company. {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %} authenticate as a single user, so if one person creates an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} for a company to use, and then they leave the company, no one else will have access to it.{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
* {% data reusables.apps.oauth-apps-restrictions %}{% endif %}

For more on {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %}, see "[Creating an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %}](/apps/building-oauth-apps/creating-an-oauth-app/)" and "[Registering your app](/rest/guides/basics-of-authentication#registering-your-app)."

## {% data variables.product.pat_generic_caps %}s

A [{% data variables.product.pat_generic %}](/articles/creating-a-personal-access-token-for-the-command-line/) is a string of characters that functions similarly to an [OAuth token](/apps/building-oauth-apps/authorizing-oauth-apps/) in that you can specify its permissions via [scopes](/apps/building-oauth-apps/understanding-scopes-for-oauth-apps/). A {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} is also similar to a password, but you can have many of them and you can revoke access to each one at any time.

As an example, you can enable a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} to write to your repositories. If then you run a cURL command or write a script that [creates an issue](/rest/reference/issues#create-an-issue) in your repository, you would pass the {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} to authenticate. You can store the {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} as an environment variable to avoid typing it every time you use it.

Keep these ideas in mind when using {% data variables.product.pat_generic %}s:

* Remember to use this token to represent yourself only.
* You can perform one-off cURL requests.
* You can run personal scripts.
* Don't set up a script for your whole team or company to use.
* Don't set up a shared personal account to act as a bot user.
* Grant your token the minimal privileges it needs.
* Set an expiration for your {% data variables.product.pat_generic %}s, to help keep your information secure.

## Determining which integration to build

Before you get started creating integrations, you need to determine the best way to access, authenticate, and interact with the {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}{% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}{% else %}{% data variables.product.product_name %}{% endif %} APIs. The following image offers some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to use {% data variables.product.pat_generic %}s, {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}, or {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_apps %} for your integration.

![Intro to apps question flow](/assets/images/intro-to-apps-flow.png)

Consider these questions about how your integration needs to behave and what it needs to access:

* Will my integration act only as me, or will it act more like an application?
* Do I want it to act independently of me as its own entity?
* Will it access everything that I can access, or do I want to limit its access?
* Is it simple or complex? For example, {% data variables.product.pat_generic %}s are good for simple scripts and cURLs, whereas an {% data variables.product.prodname_oauth_app %} can handle more complex scripting.

## Requesting support

{% data reusables.support.help_resources %}