Developer Documentation
Citrix Workspace app

SDKs and APIs to manage Citrix Workspace app

August 15, 2023
Contributed by: 
M C

Use the Citrix Virtual Channel SDK to create new virtual channels for sound, graphics, client drive mapping, and printing using the ICA protocol. Use the API functions, API examples, sample codes, and OEM guide that help you to manage Citrix Workspace app.

As an IT administrator, you can use the APIs and SDKs to:

  • Provide authentication and SSO products to log users on to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and then disconnect users from those sessions.
  • Integrate Citrix Workspace app into customer deployments.
  • Get the ICA session information that can be used in custom application to modify the appearance for the end user.
  • Customize and extend Citrix Citrix Workspace app for Windows behavior.
  • Host Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 on a web server other than StoreFront.
  • Create plug-in extensions for the ICA engine component (wfica) of Citrix Workspace app for Linux.

Follow the additional SDKs and references available for Citrix Workspace app for Windows and Citrix Workspace app for Linux.

Citrix Virtual Channel SDK

The Citrix Virtual Channel Software Development Kit (VCSDK) enables developers to create additional virtual channels using Citrix’s ICA protocol. Citrix provides virtual channels for sound, graphics, client drive mapping, and printing. Each channel consists of two components: The host-side virtual channel application running on the machine that hosts a Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix DaaS ( formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service) session, and the client-side portion that runs on the end user device as part of Workspace App.

Citrix Workspace App SDKs

The following SDKs provide a set of capabilities dependant on the platform.

Fast Connect, Authentication, and Password Insertion APIs

Citrix partners can provide authentication and SSO products to log users on to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and then disconnect users from those sessions

OEM reference guides

Workspace App supports Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), who integrate Citrix Workspace app into customer deployments.

Additional SDKs and references for Windows

CCM (Citrix Common Connection Manager) SDK provides APIs which can be used to get the ICA session information. This can be programmatically used in custom application to modify the appearance for the end user. There is no need for a separate download of this SDK, as it is part of the Citrix Workspace app installation. Capabilities include:

Session Launch - Launch Applications/Desktops using the ICA file that is generated.

Session Disconnect - Perform Disconnect operations for all sessions or a certain user.

Session Logoff - Perform Logoff operations for all sessions or a certain user.

Session Information - Query and set connection parameters of Application/Desktop sessions.

Additional SDKs and references for Linux

Authentication Forms Plugin SDK

The client-side counterpart to the server-side StoreFront authentication SDK is the Citrix Workspace app Authentication Forms Plugin SDK. This plugin extension mechanism allows you to customize and extend Citrix Workspace app for Windows behavior:

Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 SDK

Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 SDK provides a set of API that enables Windows App and desktop delivery to the custom websites from Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop. This SDK enables hosting of Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 on a web server other than StoreFront. The ability to host HTML5 HDX engine helps in better caching, updating and sharing of resources.

Using this SDK, you can embed the view of remote Windows applications and desktops in your website, control its size, enable disconnect using some commands, change the error strings to make them custom for your requirement. Please refer the documentation to know more about the options available with the SDK.

This SDK requires the ICA file to launch the XenApp or XenDesktop session. This ICA file can be generated using StoreFront API or Web Interface API.

Citrix Workspace app for Linux - Platform Optimization SDK

As part of the HDX SoC initiative for Citrix Workspace for Linux, we have come up with the ‘Platform optimization SDK’ for enabling an ecosystem of low cost, low power, high performance devices with innovative form factors.

The Platform Optimization SDK can be used by developers looking to improve the performance of Linux-based devices by allowing them to create plug-in extensions for the ICA engine component (wfica) of Citrix Workspace app for Linux. Plugins are built as shareable libraries that are dynamically loaded by wfica. These plugins can help you optimize the performance of your Linux devices, enabling the following functions:

  • Provide accelerated decoding of JPEG and H.264 data used to draw the session image
  • Control the allocation of memory used to draw the session image
  • Improve performance by taking control of the low-level drawing of the session image
  • Provide graphics output and user input services for OS environments that do not support X11
SDKs and APIs to manage Citrix Workspace app
August 15, 2023
Contributed by: 
M C
August 15, 2023
Contributed by: 
M C

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