This documentation section covers **Building and Managing Stripe Apps**. It provides a comprehensive guide for developers looking to extend Stripe's functionality by creating custom applications that can be integrated directly into the Stripe Dashboard or distributed through the Stripe App Marketplace.

The core of this section revolves around the **Stripe Apps platform**, which replaces the older "extensions" model. It details how to get started with app development, covering essential aspects such as:

*   **App Creation and Structure:** Guidance on creating a new Stripe App, understanding its components (frontend UI extensions and backend logic), and defining the app manifest file (`stripe-app.json`).
*   **API Authentication:** Explains the different methods for authenticating API requests, including Platform keys, OAuth 2.0, and Restricted API Keys (RAKs), with use cases for each.
*   **Backend and Frontend Development:** Instructions on adding server-side logic for secure integrations and webhook handling, as well as building custom user interfaces within the Stripe Dashboard using React and Stripe's UI Extensions SDK.
*   **UI Components and Design:** A detailed reference of the available UI components for building interfaces, along with design patterns and styling guidelines to ensure consistency and a high-quality user experience.
*   **App Lifecycle and Management:** Covers crucial aspects like enabling sandbox support for testing, handling different operational modes (live vs. sandbox), managing app versions and releases, and testing apps externally before publication.
*   **Distribution and Publishing:** Information on distribution options, including publishing to the Stripe App Marketplace, app review requirements, and promoting apps.
*   **Migration:** Guidance for developers migrating from legacy extensions to the new Stripe Apps platform.
*   **Specific Features:** Documentation on implementing features like deep links, authorization flows (PKCE OAuth), post-install actions, and app analytics.
*   **Developer Tools:** Information on using the Stripe Apps CLI and other developer tools to streamline the development process.

This section aims to equip developers with the knowledge and resources needed to build, deploy, and manage robust and user-friendly applications on the Stripe platform.