Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package frappe-ops-app-lifecycle

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/OpenAEC-Foundation/Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/OpenAEC-Foundation/Frappe_Claude_Skill_Package "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/skills/source/ops/frappe-ops-app-lifecycle" ~/.claude/skills/openaec-foundation-frappe-claude-skill-package-frappe-ops-app-lifecycle && rm -rf "$T"
manifest: skills/source/ops/frappe-ops-app-lifecycle/SKILL.md
source content

App Lifecycle Management

Quick Reference

CommandPurposeWhen to Use
bench new-app
Scaffold new appStarting a new project
bench get-app URL
Clone from GitInstalling existing app
bench --site SITE install-app
Install on siteAfter get-app or new-app
bench --site SITE remove-app
Uninstall from siteRemoving app from site
bench remove-app
Remove from benchRemoving app entirely
bench --site SITE migrate
Run patches + syncAfter code changes
bench build
Compile assetsAfter JS/CSS changes
bench --site SITE console
Python REPLDebugging
bench start
Start dev serverDevelopment
bench setup production
Configure nginx+supervisorDeploying to production

1. Scaffolding: bench new-app

bench new-app my_custom_app

Interactive prompts:

  • App Title → Human-readable name
  • App Description → One-line summary
  • App Publisher → Company/author name
  • App Email → Contact email
  • App Icon → Default:
    octicon octicon-file-directory
  • App Color → Default:
    grey
  • App License → Default:
    MIT

Generated Directory Structure

apps/my_custom_app/
├── MANIFEST.in              # Files included in Python package
├── README.md                # Project readme
├── license.txt              # License file
├── requirements.txt         # Python dependencies
├── dev-requirements.txt     # Dev-only Python deps (v15+)
├── package.json             # Node.js dependencies
├── setup.py                 # Python package config (v14)
├── pyproject.toml           # Python package config (v15+)
├── my_custom_app/
│   ├── __init__.py          # App version string
│   ├── hooks.py             # Framework integration hooks
│   ├── modules.txt          # List of app modules
│   ├── patches.txt          # Migration patches list
│   ├── config/
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── desktop.py       # Desktop/workspace config
│   │   └── docs.py          # Documentation config
│   ├── public/              # Static assets → /assets/my_custom_app/
│   │   ├── css/
│   │   └── js/
│   ├── templates/           # Jinja templates
│   └── www/                 # Portal pages (URL = path)

What Each Core File Does

FilePurposeNEVER Forget
__init__.py
Defines
__version__
ALWAYS update before release
hooks.py
ALL framework integrationEntry point for everything
modules.txt
Declares app modulesALWAYS add new modules here
patches.txt
Migration patch registryALWAYS add patches in order
requirements.txt
Python deps installed on setupAdd pip packages here
public/
Static files served by nginxAccessible at
/assets/app_name/
www/
Portal pagesFilename = URL path

2. Development Cycle

Code → Migrate → Build → Test → Commit

Step-by-Step

# 1. Make code changes (DocTypes, reports, APIs, etc.)

# 2. Migrate — sync DocType schema + run patches
bench --site mysite migrate

# 3. Build — compile JS/CSS assets
bench build --app my_custom_app

# 4. Test — run Python tests
bench --site mysite run-tests --app my_custom_app

# 5. Commit
git -C apps/my_custom_app add -A && git -C apps/my_custom_app commit -m "feat: add feature"

ALWAYS run

bench migrate
after modifying DocType JSON files. ALWAYS run
bench build
after modifying JS/CSS files.

3. Getting Apps from Git

# Public repo
bench get-app https://github.com/org/my_app

# Specific branch
bench get-app https://github.com/org/my_app --branch develop

# Private repo via SSH
bench get-app git@github.com:org/private_app.git

# Private repo via token (v15+)
bench get-app https://TOKEN@github.com/org/private_app.git

After

get-app
, ALWAYS install on the target site:

bench --site mysite install-app my_app

get-app
clones to
apps/
and adds to
apps.txt
.
install-app
creates database tables and runs
after_install
hooks.

4. Installing and Removing Apps

Installation Order Matters

Apps are installed in order listed in

apps.txt
. If App B depends on App A, App A MUST be listed first.

# Install
bench --site mysite install-app my_app

# Verify
bench --site mysite list-apps
# Output: frappe, erpnext, my_app

# Remove from site (keeps code in apps/)
bench --site mysite remove-app my_app

# Remove from bench entirely (deletes code)
bench remove-app my_app

App Dependencies (v14+)

Declare in

hooks.py
:

required_apps = ["frappe", "erpnext"]

Frappe ALWAYS checks

required_apps
during installation and blocks if dependencies are missing.

5. Debugging with bench console

bench --site mysite console

Opens an IPython REPL with Frappe context:

# Query data
frappe.db.sql("SELECT name, status FROM `tabSales Invoice` LIMIT 5", as_dict=True)

# Get a document
doc = frappe.get_doc("Sales Invoice", "SINV-00001")
print(doc.grand_total)

# Test a whitelisted method
from my_app.api import my_function
result = my_function(param="value")

# Check configuration
frappe.get_site_config()

# Auto-reload on code changes (v15+)
# Start with: bench --site mysite console --autoreload

ALWAYS use

bench console
for debugging — NEVER modify production data with raw SQL.

6. Development Mode vs Production Mode

Development Mode

# Enable
bench set-config -g developer_mode 1

# Start dev server (Procfile: web + worker + redis + socketio)
bench start

Development mode enables:

  • DocType editing in Desk
  • "Is Standard" option for reports/scripts
  • Auto-reload on Python file changes
  • Detailed error tracebacks in browser
  • dev-requirements.txt
    dependencies installed

Production Mode

# Disable developer mode
bench set-config -g developer_mode 0

# Setup production (nginx + supervisor)
sudo bench setup production USERNAME

# Restart
sudo supervisorctl restart all
# or
sudo systemctl restart supervisor

Production mode:

  • Serves via nginx (port 80/443)
  • Background workers via supervisor
  • Static files served directly by nginx
  • Errors logged to files, not browser
  • NEVER enable
    developer_mode
    on production sites

7. Asset Building

v15+ (esbuild)

# Build all apps
bench build

# Build specific app
bench build --app my_custom_app

# Watch mode (auto-rebuild on changes)
bench watch

v14 (build.json)

v14 uses

build.json
in the app root to map source files to bundles:

{
    "css/my_app.css": [
        "public/css/style.css"
    ],
    "js/my_app.js": [
        "public/js/main.js"
    ]
}

Asset Include in hooks.py

# Desk (backend UI)
app_include_js = "my_app.bundle.js"      # v15+ bundle syntax
app_include_css = "my_app.bundle.css"

# Portal (website)
web_include_js = "my_app_web.bundle.js"
web_include_css = "my_app_web.bundle.css"

# v14 legacy syntax
app_include_js = "/assets/my_app/js/my_app.js"
app_include_css = "/assets/my_app/css/my_app.css"

ALWAYS run

bench build
after changing JS/CSS files. ALWAYS run
bench clear-cache
if assets are not updating.

8. App Versioning

Version String in init.py

# my_custom_app/__init__.py
__version__ = "1.2.0"

ALWAYS use semantic versioning:

MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH

  • MAJOR: Breaking changes
  • MINOR: New features (backward compatible)
  • PATCH: Bug fixes

The version is read by

bench version
, displayed in Desk, and used by the Marketplace.

Checking Versions

bench version
# frappe 15.23.0
# erpnext 15.18.0
# my_custom_app 1.2.0

9. Patches: Data Migrations

Writing a Patch

# my_app/patches/v1_2/update_customer_status.py
import frappe

def execute():
    frappe.reload_doc("module_name", "doctype", "customer_extension")

    frappe.db.sql("""
        UPDATE `tabCustomer Extension`
        SET status = 'Active'
        WHERE status IS NULL
    """)
    frappe.db.commit()

Registering in patches.txt

# patches.txt — v14+ supports sections

[pre_model_sync]
my_app.patches.v1_1.fix_old_data
my_app.patches.v1_2.rename_field_before_schema

[post_model_sync]
my_app.patches.v1_2.update_customer_status
my_app.patches.v1_2.migrate_settings

Section timing (v14+):

  • [pre_model_sync]
    — Runs BEFORE DocType schema changes are applied
  • [post_model_sync]
    — Runs AFTER schema changes (new fields available)
  • No section header — Runs in
    [pre_model_sync]
    by default

Patch Rules

  • ALWAYS add new patches at the END of their section
  • Patches run ONCE — tracked in
    tabPatch Log
  • To re-run a patch, append a comment:
    my_app.patches.v1_2.fix #2025-03-20
  • ALWAYS call
    frappe.reload_doc()
    before accessing new/modified DocTypes
  • ALWAYS use
    [post_model_sync]
    for patches that need new fields
  • One-liner patches:
    execute:frappe.delete_doc("Page", "old-page", ignore_missing=True)

Testing a Patch

# Run all pending patches
bench --site mysite migrate

# Run a specific patch manually in console
bench --site mysite console
>>> from my_app.patches.v1_2.update_customer_status import execute
>>> execute()
>>> frappe.db.commit()

10. Publishing to Frappe Marketplace

Prerequisites Checklist

  1. App hosted on public GitHub repository
  2. setup.py
    or
    pyproject.toml
    with correct metadata
  3. Valid
    __version__
    in
    __init__.py
  4. README.md with installation instructions
  5. All tests passing

setup.py (v14)

from setuptools import setup, find_packages

setup(
    name="my_custom_app",
    version="1.0.0",
    description="My Custom App for ERPNext",
    author="Your Name",
    author_email="you@example.com",
    packages=find_packages(),
    zip_safe=False,
    include_package_data=True,
    install_requires=["frappe"],
)

pyproject.toml (v15+)

[project]
name = "my_custom_app"
dynamic = ["version"]
requires-python = ">=3.10,<3.13"
dependencies = ["frappe"]

[build-system]
requires = ["flit_core >=3.4,<4"]
build-backend = "flit_core:buildapi"

Publishing Steps

  1. Create account at https://frappecloud.com/marketplace
  2. Add your GitHub repository
  3. Configure supported versions (v14, v15)
  4. Submit for review
  5. After approval, app appears in Marketplace

11. App Update Lifecycle on Client Sites

# Pull latest code
bench update --pull

# Or update specific app
cd apps/my_custom_app && git pull origin main && cd ../..

# Then migrate (runs patches + syncs schema)
bench --site mysite migrate

# Rebuild assets
bench build --app my_custom_app

# Restart workers
bench restart

The

bench update
command wraps: backup → pull → requirements → migrate → build → restart.

ALWAYS take a backup before running

bench update
on production. ALWAYS test updates on staging before applying to production.

See Also