For projects that only run on the Citrix server, there is less configuration. You do not need a Citrix context for your package. You develop the applications and automations on the Citrix server. Then, when a package is deployed and ready to run, you publish a Citrix application and users can start the package through the Citrix web interface or from Citrix Workspace.

For projects that require a Citrix mixed-mode setup, your project requires a Citrix context. The Citrix context is a container for all your applications, automations, and any other items that run on the Citrix server environment. In the context, you specify the connection type and any other Citrix settings that need adjustment. Everything outside the Citrix context runs on the local environment on which the package runs.

The following diagram illustrates a mixed-mode scenario:

When you start a Citrix mixed-mode package from a local environment, the package loads on the Citrix server through one of two methods:

• Loads from a locally accessible file.
• Streams over the Citrix channel connection.

If applications in a Citrix context are accessible on the local environment, set the Run Local property to True to test those applications. This value allows a project to run in Robot Studio without requiring a connection to the Citrix server.Note: The system always ignores the Run Local property in deployed packages.

Before you build a robotic automation package for a Citrix environment, there are several design considerations that you should be aware of to successfully create your project:

• Start applications on a Citrix server only when necessary if you design a Citrix mixed-mode package. You can start your package more quickly if you set the StartOnProjectStart property of the applications to False, and then manually start the applications as needed by using an automation.
• Avoid designing automations that reference many different applications that exist inside and outside of a Citrix context. This can complicate testing by requiring multiple applications to start at once during a test.
• Avoid using an appbar when the package runs from the Citrix server, because users are unable to dock the appbar cannot their desktop.
• Avoid using multiple Citrix contexts. Although it is possible, doing so adds complexity to the system and slows performance. For more information, contact Pega Support.