📖 Add new Libraries criteria

Author: michael-mcroskey

docs/marketplace/creators-hub/submission-criteria.md

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ tags: [MarketPlace, Creators Hub]
 sidebar_position: 1
 keywords: [FlutterFlow, MarketPlace, Creators Hub, Item Submission Criteria]
 ---
+
 # Item Submission Criteria
 
 ## Item Submission Standards
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ Below, you'll find the criteria our Submission Review Team uses to review items
 - **Why it Matters:** Only the original creator has the right to share and potentially sell their work. This ensures fairness, prevents unauthorized distribution, and protects intellectual property.
 - **What To Do:**
   - **If you're the sole creator:** Great! Make sure you're submitting the project from your own FlutterFlow account.
-  - **If you're collaborating:** The project owner should be the one to submit it to the Marketplace. Discuss this with your collaborators beforehand.
+  - **If you're collaborating:** The project owner should be the one to submit it to Marketplace. Discuss this with your collaborators beforehand.
   - **If you've acquired a project:** Ensure the original creator has officially [transferred ownership](../../resources/projects/how-to-collaborate-on-projects.md#transferring-project) rights to you. This may involve legal documentation, so it's important to handle it properly.
 
 #### 1.2 Significant Edits Made
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ Below, you'll find the criteria our Submission Review Team uses to review items
 #### 1.3 Not Based on an Existing Marketplace Item
 
 - **Criteria:** Projects must not be direct derivatives of existing Marketplace items.
-- **Why It Matters:** Originality is key! Duplicating existing offerings diminishes the diversity and value of the Marketplace. We want to empower users with a wide range of unique choices.
+- **Why It Matters:** Originality is key! Duplicating existing offerings diminishes the diversity and value of Marketplace. We want to empower users with a wide range of unique choices.
 - **What To Do:**
   - **Draw inspiration, don't duplicate:** While you can certainly learn from existing projects, aim to differentiate yours significantly.
   - **Add your own flavor:** Infuse your unique style, features, or functionalities to make the project distinctively yours.
@@ -50,12 +51,27 @@ Below, you'll find the criteria our Submission Review Team uses to review items
 #### 1.5 Original Project Content
 
 - **Criteria:** All project content—text, images, designs—must be original or appropriately licensed for commercial use. Please see [Legal Guidelines for Creators](legal-guidelines-for-creators.md) and [Navigating External Licenses](navigating-external-licenses.md) for more info.
-- **Why It Matters:** Using copyrighted material without permission can lead to legal issues and undermines the professional nature of the Marketplace.
+- **Why It Matters:** Using copyrighted material without permission can lead to legal issues and undermines the professional nature of Marketplace.
 - **What To Do:**
   - **Create your own assets:** This is the best way to ensure originality.
   - **Use royalty-free resources and properly licensed code:** Several websites offer high-quality, free-to-use assets. See also our guidance on [Open Source Licenses](legal-guidelines-for-creators.md#open-source-licenses).
   - **Purchase commercial licenses:** If you choose to use paid assets, secure the appropriate license for commercial distribution. This can be really tricky, so please review [Licenses from Other Marketplaces](legal-guidelines-for-creators.md#open-source-licenses) and [Navigating External Licenses](navigating-external-licenses.md).
 
+#### 1.6 No Library Dependencies (Libraries Only)
+
+- **Criteria:** Libraries cannot depend on other libraries.
+- **Why It Matters:** Dependencies between libraries create complexity in permissions management and version control, potentially leading to compatibility issues or broken functionality.
+- **What To Do:**
+  - **Build Self-Contained:** Ensure your library contains all necessary functionality without requiring other libraries (from Marketplace or personal libraries).
+
+:::info
+When you publish a free item to Marketplace, you agree to license it under the [MIT License](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT), which grants users perpetual rights to use, modify, and distribute the project. Paid items are subject to the license terms specified in our [Marketplace Terms of Service](https://www.flutterflow.io/tos-marketplace).
+
+While creators may remove their items from Marketplace at any time, this does not affect the rights of users who obtained the item while it was published - they retain their license rights according to the terms that were in effect when they acquired the item.
+
+Please review our [Legal Guidelines for Creators](legal-guidelines-for-creators.md) for more details about licensing and intellectual property rights.
+:::
+
 ### 2. Metadata
 
 Clear, engaging, and accurate metadata helps users discover and understand the value of your project.
@@ -77,7 +93,7 @@ Clear, engaging, and accurate metadata helps users discover and understand the v
 
 #### 2.3 Unique Title
 
-- **Criteria:** Your title should be distinct from other items in the Marketplace.
+- **Criteria:** Your title should be distinct from other items in Marketplace.
 - **Why it Matters:** A unique title helps your project stand out and prevents confusion among users.
 - **What To Do:**
   - **Research existing titles:** Before settling on a title, do a quick search to make sure it isn't already in use.
@@ -100,7 +116,7 @@ While tools like ChatGPT can assist in drafting content, they often generate gen
 #### 2.5 Accurate Description
 
 - **Criteria:** The description should accurately reflect the project's functionality and avoid exaggerating its capabilities.
-- **Why it Matters:** Misleading descriptions lead to negative user experiences. Transparency builds trust within the Marketplace.
+- **Why it Matters:** Misleading descriptions lead to negative user experiences. Transparency builds trust within Marketplace.
 - **What To Do:**
   - **Be truthful and transparent:** Clearly state what your project can and cannot do.
   - **Avoid hype and jargon:** Focus on clear, concise language that everyone can understand. Do not overpromise.
@@ -148,7 +164,7 @@ Use FlutterFlow's [**screenshot generator**](../../testing-deployment-publishing
 #### 2.10 Image Representativeness
 
 - **Criteria:** Images must accurately reflect the actual content and functionality of your project.
-- **Why it Matters:** Misleading images create a negative experience for users and erode trust in the Marketplace.
+- **Why it Matters:** Misleading images create a negative experience for users and erode trust in Marketplace.
 - **What To Do:**
   - **Use genuine screenshots or recordings:** Avoid showcasing designs or features that are not actually present in your project.
   - **Use abstract images sparingly:** While a certain level of abstraction or illustration can be effective for concepts that are hard to capture with screenshots, they should be used judiciously. Prefer to showcase actual product screenshots in your gallery images.
@@ -344,19 +360,48 @@ Stay tuned for an upcoming "style guide" we're publishing that goes into deeper
   - **Leverage Components:** Create reusable components for elements that repeat throughout your project (e.g., product cards, list items, headers, footers).
   - **Utilize Parameters:** Pass data and customize component instances using parameters instead of duplicating and hardcoding values.
   - **Review for Redundancies:** Before submitting, carefully examine your project for any unnecessarily duplicated pages, widgets, or action chains that could be consolidated or streamlined.
+  
+#### 5.15 Library Values Implementation (Libraries Only)
+
+- **Criteria:** Libraries must use [Library Values](../../resources/projects/libraries.md) for sensitive keys and customizable elements that users need to configure.
+- **Why It Matters:** Library Values allow users to safely provide their own API keys and customize critical configuration without modifying the library's core functionality. This improves security and makes libraries more flexible and reusable.
+- **What To Do:**
+  - **Identify Configurable Elements:** Review your library for any API keys, endpoints, or other values that users should be able to customize.
+  - **Create Library Values:** Set up Library Values for these configurable elements in Settings > App Settings > Publish as Library.
+  - **Document Requirements:** Clearly explain in your item description if any Library Values are required for your library to function correctly.
+  - **Test Configuration:** Verify that your library functions correctly when Library Values are changed by users.
+
+#### 5.16 Automated Tests (Strongly Recommended)
+
+- **Criteria:** Projects should include automated tests that verify core functionality and key user workflows. While not required for approval, this is strongly recommended for libraries and will positively impact visibility.
+- **Why It Matters:** Automated tests help ensure reliability, catch regressions, and demonstrate your commitment to quality. They also improve your item's visibility.
+- **What To Do:**
+  - **Add Integration Tests:** Use FlutterFlow's [automated testing](../../testing/automated-tests.md) features to verify your item's core functionality.
+  - **Test Key Workflows:** Focus on testing critical user paths and features that users will rely on.
+  - **For Libraries:** Since libraries are often used as building blocks in larger applications, thorough testing is particularly important to:
+    - Verify that Library Values are properly implemented
+    - Ensure core functionality works across different configurations
+    - Demonstrate expected behavior to potential users
+    - Catch issues before they affect downstream applications
 
 ### 6. Value (Paid Items)
 
 A successful Marketplace item goes beyond just a functional app—it provides real value to users.
 
 #### 6.1 High Value Proposition
 
-- **Criteria:** Item should offer a compelling value proposition that justifies their price.
+- **Criteria:** Items should offer a compelling value proposition that justifies their price.
 - **Why It Matters:** Users are looking for solutions that save them time, effort, or resources, or that provide a unique experience they can't easily find elsewhere.
 - **What To Do:**
-  - **Define Your Unique Value**: Identify and articulate what sets your project apart from others. Ensure it solves a specific problem in a way that is not readily available in the Marketplace.
-  - **Tag Appropriately**: Accurately categorize your item—whether it's a full app or a UI kit—to set the right expectations for potential users.
+  - **Define Your Unique Value**: Identify and articulate what sets your project apart from others. Ensure it solves a specific problem in a way that is not readily available in Marketplace.
+  - **Tag Appropriately**: Accurately categorize your item—whether it's a full app, UI kit, or library—to set the right expectations for potential users.
   - **Justify Your Pricing**: Make sure the pricing of your item reflects its true value and stands in fair comparison to similar offerings. Ensure it offers enough depth and uniqueness to warrant the minimum price point.
+  - **For Paid Libraries**: Libraries should excel in at least one of these areas:
+    - 🧘 Simplifying technical complexity (ease)
+    - ⚡️ Enabling quick and seamless integrations (speed)  
+    - 🎛️ Offering diverse reusable components and features (quantity)
+    - 🛠️ Providing robust, reliable functionality (quality)
+    - 🙋‍♂️ Addressing specific, high-demand use cases with thoughtful solutions (relevance)
 
 ### 7. Legal & Security
 
@@ -412,5 +457,6 @@ To help streamline your submission process, here are some of the most frequent r
 - [**Image Issues**](submission-criteria.md#29-high-quality-images): Ensure images are high-resolution, sized appropriately, and don't include the FlutterFlow logo.
 - [**Poor Widget Tree Organization**](submission-criteria.md#510-organized-widget-tree): Utilize components and naming effectively to create a clean, well-structured project.
 - [**Use of Copyrighted Assets**](submission-criteria.md#72-free-of-copyrighted-material): Only include assets that you have created or have the legal right to use commercially.
+- [**Library Dependencies**](submission-criteria.md#515-library-values-implementation-libraries-only): Libraries cannot currently depend on other libraries from Marketplace.
 
-We're excited to see the amazing FlutterFlow projects you bring to the Marketplace! By following these guidelines, you'll help us maintain a high-quality platform that benefits the entire FlutterFlow community. **Let's build something incredible together!** 🚀
+We're excited to see the amazing FlutterFlow projects you bring to Marketplace! By following these guidelines, you'll help us maintain a high-quality platform that benefits the entire FlutterFlow community. **Let's build something incredible together!** 🚀