run-interactive-apps.qmd

---
title: "Run Interactive Apps"
---

Positron provides a simplified method for running interactive apps via the **Play** button. Instead of running an app from a **Terminal**, you can run supported apps by clicking the **Play** button in Editor Actions. Additionally, you can start a supported app in debug mode through the **Play** button context menu.

![Positron App Launcher button in Editor Actions](images/run-app-button.png)

## Supported app frameworks

Currently, Positron supports the following Python app frameworks:

- [Dash](https://dash.plotly.com/)
- [FastAPI](https://fastapi.tiangolo.com/)
- [Flask](https://flask.palletsprojects.com/en/stable/)
- [Gradio](https://www.gradio.app/)
- [Shiny](https://shiny.posit.co/py/)
- [Streamlit](https://streamlit.io/)


## Running an interactive app

1. Open the `.py` file of a supported app framework.
2. In Editor Actions, click **Play**.

    ![Positron App Launcher Play button](images/run-app-play-button.png)

Then, Positron runs the app in a dedicated **Terminal** tab and opens the app URL in the **Viewer** pane.
If your application does not automatically open in the Viewer, check that the settings [`python.terminal.shellIntegration.enabled`](positron://settings/python.terminal.shellIntegration.enabled) and [`terminal.integrated.shellIntegration.enabled`](positron://settings/terminal.integrated.shellIntegration.enabled) are enabled.

![A Streamlit app in the Positron Viewer](images/run-app-streamlit.png)

To stop the app, select the **Terminal** tab running the application and use the trash can icon to delete the **Terminal** or press <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd>C</kbd> to stop the process.

## Debugging an interactive app

1. Open the `.py` file of a supported app framework.
2. Set breakpoints in the `.py` file by clicking on the editor margin.

    ![Editor margin area for adding breakpoints](images/run-app-debug-breakpoint.png)
3. Click the **Play** button drop-down context menu and select **Debug [*{SUPPORTED_APP_TYPE}*] App in Terminal**.  
    - For this example, we select **Debug Steamlit App in Terminal**.

    ![Play button drop-down context menu](images/run-app-debug-streamlit.png)

Then, Positron runs the app in a dedicated **Terminal** tab, opens the app URL in the **Viewer** pane, and starts the app in debug mode.

![A Streamlit app running in debug mode; paused at a breakpoint](images/run-app-debug-streamlit-paused-at-breakpoint.png)