Getting Started with App Studio

Step 1 — Open App Studio

Navigate to Data Apps in the main menu, then select + New App. The App Studio type-picker screen opens.

Step 2 — Choose Your App Type

App Studio lets you build two kinds of apps. You choose the type once, at creation, and it cannot be changed afterward — so it helps to pick the right one up front.

Web App (Beta)

• Framework: React
• Best for: Custom, highly interactive pages and sites that need richer frontend/backend behavior and greater UI flexibility — think bespoke layouts, custom interactions, or app-like experiences that go beyond a standard dashboard.
• Note: Web App is currently in Beta. It's fully functional for building and testing, but may continue to change as the feature matures.

Data App

• Framework: Streamlit
• Best for: Interactive, consistent dashboards and internal data exploration — the fastest path to a clean analytics dashboard. This is the same proven engine behind all existing NinjaCat Data Apps ("the classic app building experience you're used to").

Which should I choose?

Both app types are backed by Snowflake reader accounts and both can work over the datasets you assign — so datasets alone shouldn't drive the decision. The deciding factor is how much UI flexibility and custom interactivity you need (Web App) versus how quickly you want a standard, consistent dashboard (Data App). When in doubt, choose Web App for a more flexible customization experience.

Step 3 — Describe What You Want to Build

After confirming your type and datasets, you land on the chat screen. From here you have two options:

1. Choose a use case — browse pre-built use case templates to get started quickly.
2. Describe what you want — type a free-form description of the app you want to build.

Either path takes you into the standard App Builder experience, where you can continue iterating on your app.

Assigning Datasets

You can assign datasets to your app in two ways:

• By chatting with the builder — ask the builder to work with specific datasets as part of your prompt, and it will assign them for you.
• Manually in Settings — open the Settings panel and go to the Datasets section, then use Add Dataset to assign or remove datasets yourself.

Both approaches update the same underlying dataset list, so you can mix and match — for example, let the builder assign a dataset while chatting, then fine-tune the list manually in Settings.

Sharing & Publishing Your App

App-level sharing and publishing options live in the Settings panel.

Public URL (sharing a link)

By default, your app is secured — only NinjaCat users with access can open it. To share it more widely:

1. In the Settings panel (General section), find Public URL and turn on Enable Public URL.
2. Save your app. Once saved, a shareable link appears with a copy button.
3. Anyone with that link — including people who aren't NinjaCat users — can then open the app.

You can turn the toggle back off at any time. When disabled, the public link stops working for anyone who tries to open it.

Save to an Account (Artifacts & Apps)

You can make an app available at the Account level by turning on Publish as Artifact in Settings. Once enabled and saved, the app appears in the Artifacts & Apps tab at the account command center level, alongside that account's other artifacts.

Publish to a client portal

From the Artifacts & Apps tab, an app can be published externally to the account's Client Portal so that client-facing users can access it. Use Publish to Client Portal to make it externally visible, or Make Internal / Remove from Client Portal to pull it back to internal-only. Visibility is a simple two-state setting: an app is either Internal or in the Client Portal.