Welcome to ZenAppBuilder, the most powerful way to turn your WordPress website into a native mobile app. This guide will walk you through the initial setup required to start building your app.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure your WordPress environment meets the following requirements:

1. WordPress Version: 5.8 or higher.
2. Simple JWT Login Plugin: Required for mobile authentication. This allows your users to log in to the app using their WordPress credentials.
3. HTTPS: Your site MUST have an SSL certificate (HTTPS) for secure communication with the mobile app and Expo services.

Installation

1. Upload the Plugin: Navigate to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Activate: Once uploaded, click Activate.
3. Capability Check: ZenAppBuilder creates a new menu in your sidebar. If you don’t see it, ensure your user role has the edit_zab_apps capability (granted to Administrators by default).

Initial Configuration

1. Google Fonts API Key

To use custom typography in your app, you need a Google Fonts API key.

1. Generate a key at the Google Cloud Console.
2. Add it to your wp-config.php:

define( ‘ZAB_GOOGLE_FONTS_API_KEY’, ‘YOUR_API_KEY_HERE’ );

2. Your First Steps

Now that the plugin is active and configured, you are ready to create your first app. Head over to the Apps menu to get started.