Buddy App
Product Overview
A Buddy App is an AI Harness for a vertical industry — partners do not need to build an AI product from scratch. They wrap their industry know-how into WorkBuddy's AI foundation through the Buddy App Harness. End users open it and immediately get a complete AI workspace dedicated to that industry.
Core Positioning
| Keyword | Description |
|---|---|
| Industry Harness | Partners do not build a product; they build configuration. WorkBuddy provides the product framework and AI foundation |
| Ready to use | Users do not need to learn first; they open the app and enter an industry-specific workspace |
| Scene first | Value comes from making high-frequency scenes deep and smooth, not from stacking a capability list |
Six Customization Dimensions
Partners can load a vertical industry's full capabilities into a Buddy App through the following six dimensions.
Architecture overview of the six customizable dimensions of a Buddy App
Work Modes
Define the System Prompt and built-in Skills for a vertical scene. Together they form a mode-level Harness that stays in effect for the whole mode, so the AI already has domain expertise when a conversation starts.
- System Prompt: Set the AI role, industry terminology rules, output structure requirements, and more
- Bound Skills: Pre-bind Skills for this mode. They cover every conversation in the mode; users do not need to notice them
Example: "Investment Research Mode" includes financial terminology rules and research-report structure requirements; "Legal Mode" embeds a compliance review workflow.
Scene Capsules
Assemble a scene-level Harness around a concrete task. Users no longer face an empty input box; they see "things you may need to do". Clicking a capsule stacks it on the current work mode.
- Recommended scenes: Shortcut prompt templates above the input box
- Bound experts / Skills / cases: Pre-bind the harness for this scene. It covers every conversation under that scene; users do not need to notice it
Example: Finance users see "Generate morning briefing" and "Analyze a stock"; education users see "Lesson planning assistant" and "Generate a test paper".
Model Configuration
Define the available model list and display order for the app. Partners match the best model capabilities to industry scene needs.
- Model list: Select models from the platform pool that fit the industry (such as HY and GLM). Defaults follow the platform unless changed
- Order: Drag to adjust the model display order on the user side, and specify the default model
Example: Finance scenes prioritize models with strong reasoning; content-creation scenes prioritize models with high generation quality.
Vertical Industry Marketplace
Customize the in-app capability marketplace and decide which ecosystem assets users can discover and use.
- Skill: Reusable instructions for a task, called on demand in the conversation
- Experts: Domain experts or expert teams
- Connectors: Third-party service integrations
- Inspiration cases: Best practices and usage examples
Capabilities can be built by the partner, or they can reuse existing modules from the WorkBuddy ecosystem.
Embed Existing Features
You can integrate a partner's existing systems into a Buddy App without abandoning current work:
- MCP Apps: Connect existing services into the AI conversation flow through the MCP protocol
Design idea: partners are not asked to start over; AI grows on top of existing systems.
WorkBuddy Foundation Capabilities
The following underlying capabilities are continuously built by the WorkBuddy team. Partners do not need to reinvent them; they are ready to use:
- Multi-agent collaboration
- Context compression engineering
- Memory engineering
- Tool-call orchestration
- Security and permission control
Configuration Guide
Buddy Apps are configured on WorkBuddy Open Platform. The layout is a single page with module navigation on the left and a form on the right, covering 5 configuration modules.
Configuration Rules
| Rule | Description |
|---|---|
| Skip steps allowed | Modules can be edited in any order; they do not have to be completed sequentially |
| Local preview | You can export a configuration JSON file and test it in a local environment |
Module 1: Create App
Fill in the app identity information and establish the basic identity of the Buddy App.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| App ID | Generated by the system; cannot be changed |
| App avatar | Upload a brand icon (256×256 recommended) |
| App name | The app name shown to users |
| App description | A brief description of the app's positioning and core capabilities |
| Authorization list | Configure the OAuth authorization items required to run the app |
| Authorization callback URL | OAuth authorization callback URL |
| Trusted Origin | Allowlist of domains that may access the app |
After creation, a Client ID and Client Secret are generated. The Client Secret is shown in full only this once. After you close the page, you cannot view it again. Please save it.
Module 2: Home Configuration
Configure the home content users see after entering the app. This determines the first impression and usage path.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Home title (Slogan) | Welcome title shown when the app opens |
| Scene capsules | Quick prompt templates above the input box that help users start high-frequency scenarios quickly |
| Work modes | Preset conversation scenarios (3–5 recommended); each mode has a different System Prompt |
| Built-in connectors | Connector capabilities that are enabled automatically after entering the app (optional) |
Note: Built-in connectors must be MCP servers that support OAuth. When a user first enters the Buddy App, after Buddy App authorization they see a bind-app dialog. Clicking Bind starts MCP OAuth.
Module 3: Marketplace Configuration
Decide which ecosystem assets the in-app capability marketplace shows.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Experts | Configure available experts / expert teams, with optional category tags; expert teams can be turned on optionally |
| Skills | Configure the available Skill list |
| Connectors | Configure the available connector list |
| Featured scenes | Optional; shown as recommended slots on the marketplace page (linked to experts or expert teams) |
Module 4: Other Configuration
- Skip first-time app bind authorization
If the Buddy App does not need bound-app capabilities during use, for example when built-in connectors use non-OAuth auth, you can skip the first-time bind.
- Bind-app authorization copy
When the user binds the app, the dialog can describe what binding provides: “After binding, you get the professional capabilities of «bind-app authorization copy»”. If unset, the app name is used: “After binding, you get the professional capabilities of «app name»”.
- Input placeholder configuration
When the dialog is empty, the placeholder is used as hint copy to guide what the user should enter. Both Chinese and English copy must be supported.
- Select a model mix from the platform pool that fits the industry scene.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Select models | Choose from the model pool |
| Reorder | Drag to adjust the model display order on the user side |
| Default model | Specify one model as the default selection |
Module 5: Preview and Debug
After you finish the other modules and before you submit for review, use the preview link, download the matching WorkBuddy client, open the preview state through the link, and check whether it matches the configuration.
Buddy App Design Specs
App Icon
Wherever an icon is uploaded during configuration, it must follow the design spec.
Icon size 16px × 16px, stroke width 1.2px, with gaps, fully rounded corners (100%). The style should match the sample icons.
Expert Page Featured Scene Background
In Module 3 (Marketplace Configuration), featured scenes on the expert page support two background images, which must follow the design spec.
Image size 1000px × 910px. Structure: base image + 3 gradient overlay layers. Provide both day and night assets. A minimal illustration style is recommended for the base image.
Buddy App design spec assets.zip
Publishing Flow
Create app → Fill in basic information → Creation review passed → Configure modules → Preview and debug → Submit for review → Publish
Key milestones:
- Creation review: After you first submit the app basic information, it must pass platform review. After approval, it enters "Draft" status
- Draft editing: After review is approved, you can continue editing each configuration module in any order
- Preview and debug: Always test locally before formal submission to ensure features are complete
- Configuration review: After configuration is complete, submit for review. Approval publishes the app
- Later updates: If a published app needs changes, you must submit for review again after editing
Best Practices
- Start from scenes: First list at least 5 high-frequency scenes for the target users, then organize capability configuration around those scenes
- Keep work modes lean: 2–4 work modes are recommended; too many increase the user's choice cost
- Reuse existing systems: Integrate existing business systems through MCP Apps to reduce migration cost
- Iterate: Ship a minimum viable version first, then iterate based on user feedback
- Import/export configuration: There are many configuration items. Export the configuration file before you leave each time, then import it next time to restore the last configuration
Enterprise Order Management
Overview
Enterprise order management authorizes a Buddy App you have already published to a designated enterprise. You create an enterprise order on the Open Platform and generate an authorization link, then send the link to the enterprise admin. After the admin confirms, the app appears in that enterprise's admin console, and the admin assigns it to employees.
Core concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Designated enterprise | An enterprise that has purchased WorkBuddy Enterprise and has an admin who operates the Enterprise admin console |
| Enterprise admin | The person who manages that enterprise's members in the Enterprise admin console: www.workbuddy.cn/admin |
| Enterprise order | The authorization credential for one Buddy App and one enterprise. The system generates the order id (example: EO-6050u1gow7bp) |
| Authorization mode | All-members — visible to everyone in the enterprise; Seat-based — the admin assigns seats |
| Authorization link | The entry point for authorization. It stays valid until used, and can be used only once |
Prerequisites
- The Buddy App is published, and Publish to enterprise is selected in the distribution scope
- For a published Buddy App, click Settings to change the distribution scope
- For an unpublished Buddy App, click Publish to choose the distribution scope
- Contact an employee at the target enterprise and collect:
- Enterprise ID: the admin can view it under enterprise information in the Enterprise admin console
- Enterprise name: the admin can view it under enterprise information in the Enterprise admin console
- Contact name and mobile number: the employee's name and mobile number, so the admin can reach them during authorization
- Agreed authorization mode and duration: see the field descriptions in the integration flow below
Integration flow
1. Create an enterprise order
Go to Open Platform → Capability management → Buddy App → App card → Enterprise order management → New enterprise order, fill in the fields, and submit.
For now, the same Buddy App can send an enterprise order to the same enterprise only once. If an enterprise order already exists for the target enterprise, you cannot create another one. Create carefully at this stage; this limit may be relaxed later.
Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise ID | Yes | Unique enterprise identifier |
| Enterprise name | Yes | Must match the Enterprise ID |
| Authorization mode | Yes | All-members / Seat-based |
| Seat count | Required for seat-based | Maximum number of employees the admin can assign |
| Duration | Yes | 3 months / 6 months / 1 year |
| Contact name | Yes | Shown on the authorization interstitial |
| Contact mobile number | Yes | Shown on the authorization interstitial |
After you submit, the system generates an authorization link for the enterprise order. If the Enterprise ID and enterprise name do not match, the page shows an error immediately. Correct them and submit again.
2. Send the authorization link
On the enterprise order details page, in Authorization link, click Copy link, then send it to the enterprise admin by email, WeCom, or another offline channel.
Link behavior
- Stays valid with no expiry time
- Single use; it expires automatically after the admin confirms
- Bound to the Enterprise ID; only that enterprise's admin can authorize
- Expires as soon as you cancel the enterprise order
3. Wait for the admin to authorize
After the admin opens the link, there are two steps:
- Interstitial: shows the enterprise order and the authorization scope. The admin clicks Go to Enterprise authorization
- Confirmation: the admin signs in to the Enterprise admin console and clicks Confirm authorization
Interstitial
After the admin confirms, the enterprise order becomes Active. The app appears in that enterprise's admin console. The admin assigns employees according to the authorization mode, and employees can see and use the app from the Buddy App entry. You also receive an in-app notification.
4. Manage existing enterprise orders
The enterprise order list can be filtered by status tab (All / Pending authorization / Active / Pending termination / Terminated / Cancelled).
| Status | How it is reached | Available action |
|---|---|---|
| Pending authorization | Created successfully | Cancel enterprise order |
| Active | Admin confirms authorization | End early |
| Pending termination | You request termination | — |
| Terminated | Admin confirms termination, or the order expires | — |
| Cancelled | You cancel it | — |
Lifecycle actions
Cancel an enterprise order
Available only while the status is Pending authorization. On the enterprise order details page, click Cancel enterprise order. After a second confirmation, the order becomes Cancelled and the authorization link expires.
End early
Available only while the status is Active. On the enterprise order details page, click End early, choose a termination reason (required), and add a note (optional; screenshots can be uploaded). After you submit, the system generates a termination confirmation link. Send that link to the admin. After the admin confirms, the order becomes Terminated immediately and the app is removed from the enterprise admin console.
Note: a termination request cannot be withdrawn after it is submitted. Termination links follow the same rules as authorization links.
Expiry
On the day the authorization expires, the enterprise order automatically becomes Terminated, the app is removed from the enterprise admin console, and both you and the enterprise admin are notified. The longest duration supported in the current version is 1 year.