How to add a custom app to a SharePoint Online site programmatically

Question

I have created and packaged a custom application. The app has been uploaded to App catalog. I can add it manually to a SharePoint Online site and it functions without an issue.

Is there a way to add the app to a particular site collection programmatically?

I have the app on my local computer, so I tried:

        using (var appStream = System.IO.File.OpenRead(appFilePath))
        {
            var appInstance = ctx.Web.LoadAndInstallApp(appStream);
            ctx.Load(appInstance);
            ctx.ExecuteQuery();

            Console.WriteLine(appInstance.AppWebFullUrl);
        }

I received an error: side-loading is not enabled I found the feature, the feature guid "AE3A1339-61F5-4f8f-81A7-ABD2DA956A7D" and the solution here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/officeapps/archive/2013/12/10/enable-app-sideloading-in-your-non-developer-site-collection.aspx

However when I am enabling the feature, I receive an error: The feature is not installed on this farm. I have no issues installing other features using the same code.

Question: How to add an app that is already in app catalog to a SharePoint Online site?

Answer 1

In order to publish a SharePoint hosted app to a site collection one of the following conditions should be met:

• the site must be based on the developer site template
• Developer Feature (e374875e-06b6-11e0-b0fa-57f5dfd72085) is activated

The following class demonstrates how to:

• ensure Developer Feature is activated
• deploy App

Example:

public class SPAppManager
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Deploy SP App 
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="context">Client context</param>
    /// <param name="appFullPath">Full path to app file (.app)</param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static AppInstance Deploy(ClientContext context, string appFullPath)
    {
        EnsureDeveloperFeature(context);
        using (var packageStream = System.IO.File.OpenRead(appFullPath))
        {
            var appInstance = context.Web.LoadAndInstallApp(packageStream);
            context.Load(appInstance);
            context.ExecuteQuery();
            return appInstance;
        }
    }


    /// <summary>
    /// Ensure Developer Feature 
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="ctx"></param>
    private static void EnsureDeveloperFeature(ClientContext ctx)
    {
        var result = ctx.LoadQuery(ctx.Site.Features.Where(f => f.DefinitionId == DeveloperFeatureId));
        ctx.ExecuteQuery();
        if (result.Any()) return;
        var feature = ctx.Site.Features.Add(DeveloperFeatureId,true, FeatureDefinitionScope.None);
        ctx.ExecuteQuery();
    }


    private static readonly Guid DeveloperFeatureId = new Guid("e374875e-06b6-11e0-b0fa-57f5dfd72085");
} 

Gist: SPAppManager.cs

Usage

 using (var ctx = GetContext(webUri,userName,password))
 {
     var appInstance = SPAppManager.Deploy(ctx, @"C:\Packages\SPApp.app");
     if (appInstance != null && appInstance.Status == AppInstanceStatus.Initialized)
     {
        Console.WriteLine("App was installed.");
     }
 }