Learn ChatGPT Apps - Expanded Project Guides

Generated from: LEARN_CHATGPT_APPS_DEEP_DIVE.md

This folder contains deep-dive guides for each project in the ChatGPT Apps learning path.

Overview

This learning path teaches you how to build ChatGPT Apps—interactive applications that extend ChatGPT’s capabilities by connecting it to external tools, data sources, and rich user interfaces. Through hands-on projects, you’ll master the Apps SDK and Model Context Protocol (MCP) to create apps that can reach 800+ million ChatGPT users.

What You’ll Learn:

Build MCP servers that expose tools and resources to ChatGPT
Create rich, interactive web components rendered in ChatGPT’s UI
Implement OAuth 2.1 authentication for user-specific integrations
Design data-rich apps with state management, forms, and real-time updates
Deploy production-ready apps and submit to the ChatGPT app store

Project Index

#	Project	Difficulty	Time	Key Focus
1	MCP Protocol Explorer	Beginner	Weekend	MCP basics, tool design, FastMCP
2	Hello World Widget	Beginner	Weekend	Web components, window.openai API
3	Interactive List & Search App	Intermediate	1-2 weeks	State management, pagination, filtering
4	Map & Location-Based App	Intermediate	1-2 weeks	Geographic visualization, third-party APIs
5	Form-Based Data Entry App	Intermediate	1-2 weeks	Forms, validation, write operations
6	OAuth-Protected Integration App	Advanced	2-3 weeks	OAuth 2.1, authentication, security
7	Real-Time Dashboard App	Advanced	2-3 weeks	Data visualization, charts, analytics
8	E-Commerce Shopping App	Advanced	3-4 weeks	Shopping cart, checkout, commerce patterns
9	Full App Store Submission	Expert	2-4 weeks	Production deployment, review process
Capstone	AI-Powered Productivity Suite	Master	4+ weeks	Full-stack integration, multiple services

Learning Paths

🌱 New to ChatGPT Apps

Recommended path: Projects 1 → 2 → 3

Start with MCP fundamentals, build your first widget, then tackle list patterns—the foundation for any app.

🎨 Frontend Developer

Recommended path: Projects 2 → 3 → 4 → 7

Focus on widget development with React, state management, maps, and data visualization.

⚙️ Backend Developer

Recommended path: Projects 1 → 6 → 5 → 8

Master MCP servers, authentication, data operations, and complex backend flows.

🚀 Want to Publish Fast

Recommended path: Projects 1 → 2 → 3 → 9

Build core fundamentals quickly, then polish one app for submission to reach users ASAP.

Prerequisites

Required Skills

Python: Basic to intermediate (for MCP servers with FastMCP)
JavaScript/TypeScript: Intermediate (for web components)
React: Basic understanding (or equivalent framework)
REST APIs: Understanding of API design and consumption
Git: Basic version control

Recommended Background

Web development fundamentals (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
Modern frontend tooling (npm, Vite, bundlers)
OAuth/authentication concepts (helpful but not required)
Experience with at least one web framework

Development Environment

Node.js 18+ and npm/yarn
Python 3.8+
Code editor (VS Code recommended)
Git
Terminal/command line proficiency

What Are ChatGPT Apps?

ChatGPT Apps are interactive applications that extend ChatGPT’s capabilities:

Know: Access live data, user-specific information, and external systems
Do: Take real actions (create records, schedule events, trigger workflows)
Show: Present information through rich, interactive UIs beyond plain text

The Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    CHATGPT APPS ARCHITECTURE                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                      ChatGPT UI                           │  │
│  │  [Chat Messages]  [Your App's Widget in iframe]           │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                            │                                    │
│                       window.openai                             │
│                            │                                    │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                 Your Web Component                        │  │
│  │  React/Vue/Vanilla JS │ Tailwind CSS │ @openai/apps-sdk-ui│  │
│  │  Rendered in iframe   │ Accesses window.openai API        │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                            │                                    │
│                   MCP (Model Context Protocol)                  │
│                            │                                    │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                   Your MCP Server                         │  │
│  │  Python (FastMCP) or Node.js │ Defines Tools & Resources  │  │
│  │  OAuth 2.1 Authentication    │ Connects to Your Backend   │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                            │                                    │
│                    Your Backend Services                        │
│                (Databases, APIs, External Services)             │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Additional Resources

Official Documentation

Apps SDK Home - Main documentation
Apps SDK Quickstart - Getting started
App Submission Guidelines - Requirements
What Makes a Great App - Best practices

GitHub Repositories

openai-apps-sdk-examples - Official examples
apps-sdk-ui - UI component library

Model Context Protocol

MCP Specification - Official protocol
MCP GitHub - SDKs and tools
Anthropic MCP Course - Learning resource

Tutorials

MCPcat Quickstart (Python) - 15-minute guide
MCPcat Quickstart (TypeScript) - 15-minute guide

Community

OpenAI Developer Forum - Q&A and discussions
MCP Discord - Protocol community

Ready to build apps that reach 800 million users? Start with Project 1: MCP Protocol Explorer!