Integration models

Qefro has two developer stories. They are not the same application contract with different hosting.

	Marketplace App	External Integration
Definition	Metadata	SDK
Runtime	Qefro Runtime	External server
Business logic	Qefro Runtime	Customer system
Storage	Qefro managed storage	External system
Tools	Runtime capabilities	SDK capabilities
Events	Runtime events	SDK events
Flow	Qefro FlowRunner	Qefro FlowRunner + SDKAdapter

Full page: Runtime vs SDK.

Model A — Marketplace App (default)

Developer
        │
        ▼
Metadata package (manifest · entities · workflows · ui)
        │
        ▼
Publish → Marketplace → Install
        │
        ▼
Qefro Runtime (UI, storage, FlowRunner, CRM, Automation)

Aspect	Behavior
What you write	YAML metadata (hosting: runtime)
Runtime owner	Qefro
/qefro process	None
Marketplace	Required for catalog distribution
Typical data	Managed storage via entity tools
CLI	qefro app init|validate|package|install

Choose when: shipping Restaurant, Clinic, Real Estate, Booking, or CRM as a Marketplace product. You do not need a backend.

Tutorial: managed-marketplace-app.md.
Examples: restaurant-pro-runtime, real-estate-runtime, shopify-runtime.

Model B — External SDK Connection

Customer Infrastructure (ERP / POS / CRM)
        │
        ▼
SDK Application
        │
      /qefro
        │
        ▼
Qefro Connector Manager / ACS
        │
        ▼
Qefro Runtime / FlowRunner + SDKAdapter

Aspect	Behavior
Runtime owner	Developer / customer
Registration	Org SDK Connection (webhook_url, signing secret)
Marketplace	Not required
Typical data	External ERP/CRM/DB (app-owned)
ctx.storage	Only when invoke includes install/solution scope

Choose when: existing systems of record, on-prem, customer-controlled ops, ERP adapters (Focus, Yaaz, ABM).

Tutorial: external-sdk-connection.md.

SDK-hosted Marketplace packages

Removed. hosting: managed is not supported. Marketplace Apps are metadata. External systems use an SDK Connection (qefro create-app … --hosting external + qefro register).

Decision tree

Are you connecting an existing ERP / POS / CRM?
YES → External SDK Connection
NO  → Metadata Marketplace App (hosting: runtime)

Full walkthrough: application-integration-guide.md.