Plasmic and Code Sandbox integration

Developer Support
1

Does Plasmic still have a direct Code Sandbox integration or should I publish the project to Github and pull it to Code Sandbox afterwards?

2

Hi @boyish_mongoose! That integration is currently not enabled, so doing it via GitHub makes sense!

3

Will I be able to register code components from Code Sandbox via Github back to Plasmic?

4

No; to register code components you need to set up app hosting: https://docs.plasmic.app/learn/code-components/, so you will most likely want to set up a local development environment. You can publish to GitHub, then pull it to your local machine and then run a local dev server.

5

I am a novice in programming so I need to ask - is there any cloud IDE that supports app hosting?

6

I’m not sure, but I’m afraid not. As far as I know, these cloud IDEs do not let you run a web server and expose a public port to the world.

7

Ok. Still I am curious why can’t I just have a Components folder in my project’s folder, create a component file and push it back to Plasmic? Is it technically impossible?

8

This is how it works in Framer, more or less. You create a code component file, write it’s definition and there it is - available in the canvas.

9

While it is technically possible to have a Components folder in your project’s folder and push component files back to Plasmic, it poses some challenges. Here are a few reasons why it may not be the best approach:

  1. Dependencies: Code often relies on external libraries and dependencies managed by tools like npm. If your component uses different libraries or versions, you would need to upload them as well. Managing these dependencies within the no-code app builder tool can be complex and may lead to compatibility issues.
  2. Version control: Code typically undergoes frequent changes and relies on version control systems like Git. Introducing a separate version control system within the app builder tool could conflict with existing Git workflows and make it harder to manage changes effectively.
  3. Code security: When hosting your app, the app builder tool does not have direct access to your code. This separation ensures the safety of sensitive information, such as secrets or proprietary logic embedded within your code.
    For most developers and existing codebases, I believe that setting up app hosting is usually simpler and avoids these challenges. However, we understand that for no-coders and small prototypes, having the ability to create code components within the app builder tool could be valuable. While it is not currently a priority, it is a topic we have discussed and could potentially explore in the future.