This article provides a complete walkthrough of Zid’s Integration Cycle, guiding partners from account creation to building and publishing either apps or themes, whether public or private. Use this structured flow to understand every step involved in your partnership journey.
To start building awesome applications or themes and consume Zid expressive APIs, you need to have your account on our partner dashboard.
1. Create a Partner Account
Before developing an app or a theme, you must create a Zid Partner account. This account gives you access to the Partner Dashboard, where you’ll manage submissions, development stores, analytics, and more.
How to Register
Visit Zid Developer Portal
Click on Sign Up
Fill in the required details:
Full Name: Use your company name – this will be publicly visible
Email: Use a fresh email not associated with any Zid store
Mobile: Must be a GCC number
Password: At least 8 characters, including letters and numbers
Country
Role: Choose whether you're a company employee or freelancer
App Type: Select Public App or Private App depending on your target
Looking for Ideas?: Opt-in to receive guidance
Through the Partner Dashboard, you can:
Submit partnership details to receive your agreement to publish your App in our marketplace.
⚠️ Note: This process applies to public integrations only. For private apps or themes, please refer to the respective private integration guides.
Build and create your applications and themes, update, monitor installations, and subscriptions.
Create a development store, so you can test your App until you are ready to publish it apps on the market.
Submit your App to be reviewed and listed on the market.
You can register your account in a few easy guided steps, and you can track the progress of your account completion from the dashboard.
2. Apps
Once registered, your journey will branch into either Apps or Themes. Each path has its own development, testing, and publishing flow depending on whether you're building a Public or Private version.
App Types
Public Apps: Available to all merchants on the Zid App Market
Private Apps: Available only to specific stores with explicit access
Shipping Apps: A special category of Public Apps for logistics and fulfillment services
Note: Shipping apps must be public. Private shipping apps are not supported.
Public App Flow
Complete Partnership Details to receive your agreement
Start development using the Zid Merchant API
Test your app in a development store
Publish your app for Zid’s review
Once approved, your app is listed in the Zid App Market
Private App Flow
A private app is created for one specific Zid store and is not listed publicly in Zid App Market.
Prerequisites
The target store must have access to Private Connection.
If the store’s plan does not include it, the app can still be created and an add-on purchase link can be shared with the merchant.
Shipping apps cannot be private and must remain public.
How it works
Create a new application in the Partner Dashboard and select Private.
Enter the required technical details and the target Store ID.
Develop and test your integration using the Merchant API.
Share the generated activation link with the merchant.
The merchant reviews the requested permissions and activates the app through the standard OAuth consent flow.
No contract upload, Zid review, or manual installation by Zid is required.
For complete setup instructions, Store ID rules, activation behavior, and detailed eligibility information, see Create a private app.
3. Themes
Theme Types:
Public Themes: Available for all merchants in the Zid Theme Market
Private Themes: Built for specific merchants and uploaded manually
Public Theme Flow
Complete Partnership Details
Start development following the Theme Development Roadmap
Create and upload your theme in the dashboard
Test your theme using a development store
Submit your theme for review
Once approved, your theme is published in the Zid Theme Market
Private Theme Flow
Private themes are not listed publicly. They are uploaded directly to a specific store.
If you’re willing to develop a theme for one or more specific stores, so these stores are the only stores that will be able to install your theme, you’ll be involved in the following cycle:
Prerequisites: To install a private theme for a specific store, the store must have either a Pro or an Enterprise plan subscription in Zid. Or the user has activated Theme SDK access. To check the store's current subscription, click here.
Build your theme using the Theme Development Roadmap
Provide the merchant with the SDK file to upload it to the store
To find the theme in the store
Go to web.zi.sa
Click on Zid Theme Market
Scroll to the end of the page
Upload the theme into the Custom Themes section
The testing flow is similar to public themes, but occurs inside the live merchant store.
Next Steps
Need help? Reach out via the support widget in your Partner Dashboard.