ShowChannelStoreSpringboard() deprecated but Still Used by Some Channels?

Archived
1

I’m trying to get clarity regarding the deprecated API roAppManager.ShowChannelStoreSpringboard()

While working on my channel, I attempted to use this API to open the Channel Store listing for another Roku channel. However:

  • Static analysis fails if this API is used.
  • Official documentation says it is deprecated, and no replacement or alternate method is mentioned anywhere.

What’s confusing is that I found several existing channels on the Roku Streaming Store that still show the Channel Store page for another channel from within their app. I tested one of them (PlayWorks Developer channel), and it does show the store listing screen — I’m attaching a video of this behavior.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-nSOV6C2rzWtFntkeRhWImxv1OxWQtBC/view

So my questions are:

  1. If ShowChannelStoreSpringboard() is deprecated and disallowed for new development, how are these channels still able to open store listings?
  2. Is there a new / private / undocumented API available to achieve this?
    3 If not, what is the correct, supported way to open a Channel Store page from within a channel in 2025?
    4 What am I missing here?

I’d really appreciate clarification from Roku staff or anyone with updated information. This feature is important for our workflow, and at the moment, there seems to be no supported alternative.
Thank you!

2

I don’t know if you’ll get any answer from a Roku person since they very rarely participate here, but in general once something gets deprecated you can’t update any app that uses that component, so that’s probably why those apps are still working. If they ever updated, they’d have to remove it. At some point the component will be removed and those apps will crash when they try to use it.

As for an alternative, I’ve been using a QR code that links to the Channel Store website. I don’t know of a way that doesn’t involve a phone/computer. I wouldn’t be surprised if Roku disallows that at some point.

3

Thanks, I understand the point about deprecated APIs continuing to work until a channel is updated.

What’s confusing me is that I’ve checked a few channels that were updated after the deprecation and they’re still opening the Channel Store listing. The one I shared a video of was last updated on July 16th, which is well after ShowChannelStoreSpringboard() was deprecated on 10th Feb.

So this doesn’t seem to be just old builds still working. It feels like there must be some other way to achieve the same behavior, or some difference in how static analysis is applied.

I just want to understand what the current supported way is, since some channels updated post-deprecation are clearly still doing this.

Would love any clarification if someone has insight.

4

I hadn’t watched your video. That is interesting. I’d like to know the answers to your questions myself since I had to remove the channel store launch from my apps the last time I updated them. It’s possible that they got some kind of special dispensation from Partner Success, but that seems unlikely. You could try contacting Partner Success, but don’t get your hopes up that you’ll get any answers. Maybe one of the few Roku people that ever participate here will see this.