Connections

Once you've installed the SDK, connected to the API endpoint, or integrated with OTel, you can now connect your Appear account to your environments.

Overview

Precondition: you must have installed the Appear introspector agent SDK (or installed via other methods) first, before you can establish a connection successfully.

Connections represent the relationship between Appear's introspector agent and your service. Every time you deploy Appear's agent into your codebases, a connection will be created.

Add a connection

To create a connection, follow these steps:

1

Log into your Appear account

Visit https://app.appear.sh/sign-in and sign in to Appear with your credentials

2

View the Connections page

The Connections view link is in the side navigation

Open the side menu to access the Connections page, or click Add connection when on an empty service.

3

Add a new connection

Click on the 'Add connection' button, which will open the connection creation guide.

4

Create or select an environment

The first step is to create a new environment or select an existing one. If you have already installed and deployed the Appear introspector agent, there will be environment options to select from.

If you're creating a new environment, type in the name and click Create, then click Continue.

The first step in the connection creation guide is to select or create your environment.

Read about branches and environments in our dedicated explainer page here.

5

Choose a framework

Browse the supported languages and frameworks for Appear's introspector agent and click on the one relevant for the codebase you're installing into.

Click or search through Appear's introspector agent's supported languages and frameworks.

Appear's product-map and installation guides express what languages and frameworks supported both current and planned.

6

Configure your installation: Naming your service

Now you can configure your installation script with a Service name which helps the introspector understand the traffic and networking relationships.

Add a relevant service name to your installation. This will help better relate traffic to your service.

7

Scope your API key

Give your API key a name, then scope it based on its use and expiry.

Scope it by choosing between:

• Reporting only, or

• Everything

Choose an expiry options:

• 30 days

• 60 days

• 90 days, or

• No expiration

You can define your API scope's access and expiry.

Once you're comfortable with the settings, click Save Settings, and then Continue.

8

Invite your team

The next step is designed primarily for new user onboarding and provides a simple user experience for adding team members.

This is skippable if not relevant for your use-case.

9

Complete

The connection is now created. You can now view the connections or dive into your Catalog to watch the services appear once the introspector agent is installed and deployed or run locally.

View connections

Once you've created a connection you can view them in the Connections view. This page lists out all your active and inactive connections, which are specific to your environment.

Connection list

The connections you create through the Add connection process or from installing Appear's introspector agent will appear automatically in the Connections view.

The connection list shows the state of your installed agents.

Connections panel

You can view each connection in your list to see some extra detail which can be useful for understanding if the Appear agent is reporting as expected.

Opening a connection shows connection metadata useful for debugging, in addition to a quick install guide reference.

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If you have any queries or require support with the above instructions, please get in touch with us.