Skip to main content

Introduction to Showpad HTML5 Apps

||

An HTML5 web app is a self-contained collection of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and media files packaged as a .zip and uploaded to Showpad as an asset. Once uploaded, it renders in the Showpad Asset Viewer across all platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, and Web.

File structure​

At minimum, a web app requires an index.html at the root of the zip:

my-web-app.zip
├── index.html        # required entry point
├── styles.css
└── assets/
    └── logo.png

Supporting files (CSS, JavaScript, images, fonts) can be organized in any directory structure, as long as index.html is at the root.

Platform availability​

Once uploaded, a web app:

  • Renders natively in the Showpad Asset Viewer without additional configuration
  • Can be added to Experiences and Shared Spaces
  • Is searchable and manageable in the content library
  • Can optionally communicate with Showpad via the Experience App SDK

HTML5 web apps vs. Showpad Apps​

CapabilityHTML5 Web AppShowpad App
Shareable via Shared Spaces✅✗
Runs across the entire Showpad platform✅✅ (Experiences only)
Admin configuration✗✅
In-depth event tracking✗✅
Platform SDK integrationOptionalRequired

Choose based on your integration requirements:

  • HTML5 web app: portable, reusable content with no Showpad-side configuration
  • Showpad App: admin configuration, deep event tracking, or full SDK integration (learn more)

Limitations​

  • Event tracking is shallow. Showpad records when the asset is opened, but cannot track interactions within the app. Implement your own analytics (e.g. Google Analytics) if you need interaction data.
  • No runtime configuration. All behavior must be defined at build time. There is no configuration API or interface; package everything your app needs into the zip.
  • No cross-origin requests. Web apps are rendered in a sandboxed viewer. Requests to external APIs may be blocked depending on the client.

Next steps​

Was this page helpful?