Getting the App Framework off the ground: a product and engineering log

The text is a story about how Contentful developed its App Framework, a platform that allows users to build custom applications on top of it. The development process was long and challenging, spanning over 15 years, with multiple setbacks and rejections from management. However, the team persisted, driven by their passion for making Contentful more extensible and user-friendly. They tackled various technical challenges, such as interoperability, webhooks, UI extensions, and scalability, to create a platform that would enable users to build complex integrations without requiring extensive coding knowledge. The App Framework was finally launched in 2018, with an initial focus on building apps for popular third-party services like Netlify and AWS. Throughout the development process, the team emphasized collaboration, communication, and continuous learning to keep themselves motivated and engaged. The platform has since received great adoption and is now being expanded to include more features, such as backend apps that enable complex workflows.