In this tutorial we are going to be looking at what you need to Publish an App on the Chrome WebStore. If you don’t know what the Chrome WebStore is then I recommend you look at the tutorial Investigating the Chrome WebStore.
Preparation
Before we get right into uploading our App onto the Chrome WebStore there are a few pieces of content that we will need to generate first. All of this information is so that the WebStore and the users have enough information before they download your App.
Manifest.JSON Files
Manifest files are required by the WebStore and you will have to have one for every App that you upload. The Manifest files must be included in the root folder of your App’s ZIP file. These files provide important information about your App, such as the title, current version, description, if it can be run offline, and the list goes on. Below you can find an example of the code contained inside of a manifest.json file, which will contain the required and recommended options for the WebStore.
Watch Out!
Before using the following Manifest code, make sure that you remove all code comments! They are not valid json and are there for documentation only.
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{ "manifest_version": 2, // Name of your App "name": "Newton Quest: Part 1 - Objects of the Occult", // Current version of your App. Each time you upload a new version you need to increase the version. "version": "1.0.0", //Description of your App "description": "Help Sir Isaac Newton in his quest to find the various Objects of the Occult.", /* A object containing the various different sized icons for you App. You can add as many of these as you like or need. */ "icons": { "16": "assets/icons/icon16.png", "48": "assets/icons/icon48.png", "128": "assets/icons/icon128.png" }, // File to be executed upon launch. "app": { "launch": { //Packaged Apps Only "local_path": "index.html" } }, "author": "Gamelab", "offline_enabled": true, //Packaged Apps only "short_name": "Newton Quest Part 1" } |
Required Images
In addition to a manifest.json file, the Chrome WebStore also requires a few additional image asset before you can publish you App. These images do not need to be included in your ZIP file; they are uploaded separately. Below is a list of the required images.
- Icon – Has to be 128×128 pixels.
- Screenshots – At least one is required, but 4-5 are recommended.
- Promotion Image (Small) – Needs to be 440×280 pixels.
For more information, view the Chrome WebStore page on Supplying Images.
Creating your ZIP
The final step before Publishing your App to the WebStore is to create a ZIP file. The ZIP file you create is what any user who installs your App will download to their computer. The only thing required to be in the ZIP created is the ‘manifest.json’ file. But if you would like your game to be able to run offline, load faster and have less toll on your server, then we recommend including all of your assets if possible.
Ready to Publish
Now you should have all the assets required to publish your App onto the Chrome WebStore. The final steps for you to take are to sign-in to the WebStore Development Dashboard, then create and upload your App.
Example?
If you would like a ready-to-upload example App for the Chrome WebStore, then you can download it from this link.
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