Canvas app inside managed package that connects to configurable endpoint

Question

Our customers have versions of our Java web app installed in their data center. I want to build a managed packaged Salesforce App that is able to connect to those web app instances using Salesforce Canvas.

As I planned to packaged the Connected Canvas App it seems that I then would have to hardcode the base URL (domain), which would make it impossible for package customers to change it to their own endpoints.

Is any of my potential solutions feasible?

1) Use a Loopback URL which points to a packaged Visualforce page that redirects based on a dynamic URL provided in the Canvas parameters.

2) Use something like externally stored endpoint information. Custom settings or Named Credentials that could be used inside the Canvas.

3) Let the User create the Connected Canvas App outside of the Managed Package but reference it inside my package. E.g. A Lightning Component where I pass the DeveloperName of the Canvas App.

Answer 1

I've used Custom Metadata Types in the past to give the installed orgs the ability to adjust settings of the Canvas App.

When creating the custom metadata field, use the "Any user with the Customize Application permission" radio in the Field Manageability parameter to give installed orgs the ability to adjust the value, without it being overwritten with future managed package updates.

For your situation, create a Custom Metdata Type called " Settings", and create a custom metadata type field called "Endpoint URL" with the URL type (MDTs don't have the full breath of custom fields options, but they give you URL which is what you need here). Make sure to select that radio as I described above when creating the field:

Now create an actual MDT record, and call it something simple like "Default" so you have the actual MDT record for the installed org to work with.

As for accessing it within the Canvas App - you can use an Apex class (which can be leveraged by a VF page and/or lightning aura component - I did both implementations so Classic and Lightning could be supported) to simply query the MDT to get the URL endpoint value. If you do this in the aura init handler and/or the VF page action parameter - you'll be able to set the CanvasApp parameters before it's actually initialized.

Sample Query:

    @AuraEnabled
    public static String getEndpointUrl() {
        List<MyConnectApp_Settings__mdt> settings = [SELECT Id, MasterLabel, QualifiedApiName, Endpoint_URL__c FROM MyConnectedApp_Setting__mdt];

        for (My_App_Setting__mdt setting : settings)
            if (setting.QualifiedApiName == 'Default')
                return setting.Endpoint_URL__c;

        return null;
    }