How a real-money catalogue app moves from a studio build to a live Android install

A walkthrough of the staging, distribution and verification steps that sit between a developer build and the Install App button — and why the route between them is the most under-documented part of the experience.

The two halves of a catalogue app

A real-money catalogue app is structurally two products in one. The first is the operator's gameplay service: the lobby, the deposit, the KYC, the play path, the withdrawal, the dispute resolution. The second is the catalogue app: the metadata, the artwork, the source ID, the RTP, the currency, the category. The two halves meet on the operator endpoint, where the catalogue app hands the visitor off to the gameplay service.

The catalogue half is what the visitor sees on this site. The gameplay half is what the visitor sees inside the my11 app. The two halves are joined by the verified first-party access route: a small URL on the catalogue domain that proxies the operator's sponsored endpoint. The route does not embed the destination URL; the route passes the visitor's IP country code and the referring page so the operator can decide eligibility before downloading the package.

What the studio build looks like

The studio build is the operator's internal product. The studio signs the package, stamps the version, and writes the certificate. The studio pushes the build to a staging environment. The staging environment is reachable from the operator's internal network. The staging environment is not reachable from the public internet. The studio does not publish the staging URL.

The studio does not publish the package version, the file size, the certificate, the developer name, the update date, the malware scan, the rating or the download count. Those values are published on the operator endpoint when the staging build is promoted to the public build. The catalogue half of the experience does not republish any of those values; the catalogue half points to the operator endpoint and lets the operator publish the current values.

What the staged record looks like

The staged record is the catalogue half's source of truth. The staged record contains 973 products across 8 verified providers. The staged record contains the source ID, the provider, the RTP, the currency, the category. The staged record does not contain the package version, the file size, the certificate, the developer name, the update date, the malware scan, the rating or the download count. The staged record is updated every time the operator pushes a new build; the staged record is the prompt for the catalogue half's rebuild.

The staged record is the source of the catalogue app's data file. The data file is shipped as a static JavaScript file. The data file is loaded asynchronously. The data file is filterable by provider, searchable by name or numeric ID, and sortable by default order, name, RTP or provider. The data file is the prompt for the homepage's inventory.

What the distribution path looks like

The distribution path is the verified first-party access route. The route is a reverse proxy on the catalogue domain. The route proxies the operator's sponsored endpoint. The route does not embed the destination URL. The route passes the visitor's IP country code and the referring page. The route is reachable from the Download App action on every page.

The route is the only verified source for the my11 app. The route is the only path between the catalogue half and the gameplay half. The route is the only path the catalogue half recommends. The route is the only path the catalogue half will publish.

What the install prompt looks like

The install prompt is the moment when the visitor's Android device asks whether to allow the install source. The install prompt is the moment when the catalogue half's responsibility ends. The install prompt is the moment when the gameplay half's responsibility begins. The install prompt is the moment when the visitor must decide whether to allow a non-Play source.

The install prompt is not a marketing moment. The install prompt is a security moment. The install prompt is the moment when the visitor verifies the package certificate. The install prompt is the moment when the visitor decides whether to allow the operator endpoint. The install prompt is the moment when the visitor must decide whether to trust the operator.

What the verification step looks like

The verification step is the operator's eligibility check. The verification step is the moment when the operator decides whether the visitor is eligible to install. The verification step is the moment when the operator decides whether to push the package. The verification step is the moment when the operator decides whether to process the welcome bonus.

The verification step is run on the operator endpoint. The verification step is operator-controlled. The verification step is not republished on the catalogue site. The verification step is the only authoritative source for the eligibility check.

What the support desk looks like

The support desk is the verified live support channel at /contact/. The support desk is reachable from the floating widget, the utility bar link, and the footer link. The support desk is the only path the catalogue half recommends for account access, KYC, withdrawal, refer-and-earn and bonus disputes. The support desk is the only path the catalogue half will publish.

The support desk is run on the operator's endpoint. The support desk is operator-controlled. The support desk is not run on the catalogue site. The support desk is the only authoritative source for the support status.

Frequently asked questions