Introduction

Stream App Editor is a no-code system for creating USSD apps.

Stream App Editor is intended for developers, who want to create their own USSD apps without the need to code. It's a quick and easy solution for creating and deploying USSD apps.

Why use it?

The main advantage of Stream App Editor is ease of use and expandability. To start with, you get a free shortcode, which can be difficult to acquire by yourself. On top of that, no coding skills are required to create your USSD applications.

Stream App Editor offers ability to create advanced USSD processes and integrate them with external services via REST or SOAP API. It can also integrate with QRIOS USSD API for even more control and flexibility over created processes, though that requires coding skills.

What is an USSD process?

USSD process is a series of interactions between a user and an USSD app. It is started by a user calling a shortcode string. The app responds by showing possible actions to the user or it requests the user's input. USSD process is similar to an input form on WWW website. For example, in order to make a transfer on a website, it's mandatory to enter sender's account number, recipient's account number and name, and the amount to transfer. Then the transfer is authorized by PIN or OTP. USSD process of money transfer would look similar. The difference is that each input field (recipients name, account number, amount, etc.) would have to be acquired separately. First the USSD app would ask for amount of money to transfer, then the debit account, then recipients account and so on. Each field input would send a message to USSD app instead of sending them all in one batch.

How does it work?

The end user has a feature phone with GSM access, thus can send and receive USSD messages. Such USSD messages then reach Telco providers, who then relay those messages to Developer's USSD Application via Qrios APIs. It's not a problem if the end users have MSISDNs in different Telcos, since QRIOS integrates with many providers of telecommunications services. Developer's App can then optionally integrate with external system via REST or SOAP API. Alternatively, it can integrate just with USSD Application created and managed by Developer via the USSD API

Main components / features

The Stream App Editor consists of the following components:

Shortcode strings management

Shortcode management grants ability to manage "shortcode string definitions", which can be thought of as representations of executable USSD processes. When the end user calls a shortcode string (eg. *425*0021*100#) which matches the "shortcode string definition" created by developer, a USSD process is executed. Shortcode string definition determines which process is executed, does it have parameters, etc.

Menu Builder

Allows creating main menu and link up USSD processes to the menu's choices. Menu itself provides simple graphical UI, which allows executing processes quickly and without the need to remember many shortcodes strings. In general it's used for showing what services does the USSD application expose.