Method, apparatus, and computer program product for installing third party applications requiring variable host address identification in a group-based communication system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products that provide for an improved and more efficient system of networked computing devices. The embodiments disclose an apparatus and system that enable client devices to install integrations of a third party application that supports variable host address identification. The apparatus and methods further enable a user of the client device to modify the host address identification associated with an installed integration. In this manner, the group-based communication system establishes communication links with network locations that vary from integration to integration and that may vary over time. To implement the invention, the group-based communication system supports the creation of a blueprint application, with an associated blueprint row that serves as the basis from which a plurality of differing integrations are generated. Further, the blueprint row stores variable host address identifications. The reduced number of data structures that result from supporting variable host address identifications increases system efficiency and reduces infrastructure requirements.