Why this matters

Before writing a single line of business logic, you need Nextcloud to recognise your code as an app. This isn't a formality — the structure you set up here is the contract between your code and the Nextcloud platform. Get the directory layout wrong and your classes won't autoload. Get the manifest wrong and the app store will reject your submission. Get the bootstrap class wrong and your services won't register.

This module explains why each piece exists, not just what to create. By the end you'll be able to look at any Nextcloud app on GitHub and immediately understand its skeleton.