The development of ACT apps requires some knowledge of XML and IronPython. An ACT app begins as a scripted extension consisting of an XML file that defines and configures the content of the extension and at least one IronPython script that defines the functions invoked by user interactions, implementing the extension's behavior.

With ACT’s standard XML and IronPython approach for all Ansys products, app creation is easy to learn, regardless of the Ansys products that you plan to customize. Apply the same consistent framework and APIs to meet your customization objectives and workflows.

The ACT App Builder makes creating and editing XML files and IronPython scripts even easier. Rather than manually performing these app-building actions, you can use this tool to automatically generate reusable scripts for customization in an interactive environment, without having to write code. Built-in journal recording eliminates manual callback programming and property substitutions, dramatically simplifying and speeding up customization. Intuitive property definition and processing specific to supported Ansys products breaks down barriers to scripting. Use of the ACT App Builder ensures easier, faster, and cheaper development of ACT apps.

For apps that customize Ansys solvers, knowledge of APDL is required. Additionally, advanced users can take advantage of the opportunities of .NET integration and support provided by IronPython. If you are interested in specific members or code methods, the ACT Console is a convenient tool to interactively navigate the APIs through robust autocompletion.