2026-09-04

Official Pi Network Adds Three Developer Features and Integrates Developer Documentation for the First Time

On September 4, the Official Pi Network blog announced three new developer features and the launch of a new, integrated developer documentation site docs.minepi.com. Three New Features Local Storage The Official Pi Network has added local storage functionality for a batch of whitelisted Apps within the Pi Browser. This allows data (such as preferences, session states) to be stored directly on the user's device, eliminating the need for developers to build their own backend storage and provide this data, thereby reducing infrastructure costs. The data is managed by the Pi Browser, remains on the device, and is not uploaded to Pi servers. The Official Pi Network also clarified current limitations: this feature is currently limited to an initial batch of whitelisted Apps; Apps within the whitelist share a device-side storage pool with limited capacity, meaning older data may be cleared if space runs out, so local storage is not guaranteed to be permanent; data is tied to specific accounts and devices and will not automatically sync across devices. The Official Pi Network stated that gradually opening up the App whitelist allows for more observation and adjustment space when verifying performance and behavior across different devices, storage conditions, and actual usage scenarios. Staking Data API Developers can now use this API to query the effective amount of Pi staked by users for their App via Ecosystem Directory Staking. The effective staked amount considers both the quantity of Pi staked and the bonus derived from the staking duration. This API also currently requires Apps to be whitelisted for access. The Official Pi Network explained that this is to allow developers and Pioneers to provide testing and feedback during this early stage, which will help guide the future design direction of this API. File and Video Sharing (Pi.shareFile) Developers can use Pi.shareFile to allow users to share files, including videos, from within an App. The Official Pi Network provided examples: this is suitable for marketplace-like Apps where users share receipts or photos of disputed items, or for gaming and content Apps where users directly share images or video clips. By calling the phone's native sharing functionality, developers do not need to build their own separate sharing process. Developer Documentation Integrated for the First Time, Addressing Long-Standing Community Feedback The most significant part of this update is the newly launched, integrated developer documentation site docs.minepi.com. The Official Pi Network explained that in the past, Pi developer documentation was scattered across multiple locations—SDK documentation, Community Developer Guide, GitHub repositories—with potentially overlapping content. Developers accessing from different Pi webpages or channels might also encounter inconsistent resource versions. The new website integrates the documentation into a single, official Pi-owned domain and reorganizes it according to the actual developer journey: from getting started and registering an App, to Sandbox development, integrating Pi features, and preparing for launch, the path is now clearer. A noteworthy statement: The Official Pi Network explicitly stated in the article that, in addition to integrating the documentation, this update also provides more explanations and clarifications for platform details that were 'previously reported by community developers as unclear.' This marks the first time the Official Pi Network has publicly acknowledged that unclear documentation is a persistent issue raised by the community. The Official Pi Network also stated that this new set of documentation covers account and App registration, Sandbox setup, SDK and platform reference materials, authentication and payments, the complete path from Sandbox to Mainnet launch, and includes new AI-assisted guidance for authentication and payment integration. The Official Pi Network also confirmed that the content of this documentation has been reviewed against current actual platform behavior. OrbitWatch's Observations OrbitWatch previously noted in its Ecosystem Developer Landscape Analysis that documentation gaps and scattered information were among the long-standing pain points reported by the developer community. The Official Pi Network's release of the integrated documentation site and its first public acknowledgment of unclear documentation are the most direct official responses verified to date. However, these three new features and the documentation integration focus on the Pi SDK route (login, payments, storage, sharing, etc.), which currently appears to be separate from the other route—official documentation and progress for Soroban smart contracts. OrbitWatch will continue to monitor whether docs.minepi.com will subsequently include comprehensive documentation related to smart contracts. Further Reading → Pi Ecosystem Developer Landscape: How Far Between Investment and Feedback? → Pi Network Smart Contract Status: What Can Developers Actually Do After V23? Data sources: Pi Network Official Blog (minepi.com/blog/dev-capabilities-documentation/, published on 2026/9/4), docs.minepi.com. All analyses do not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory and is not affiliated with the Official Pi Network.

• •Pi Network launched three new developer features: Local Storage for whitelisted Apps, a Staking Data API, and `Pi.shareFile` for in-app file sharing.
• •A new, integrated developer documentation site (docs.minepi.com) was released, consolidating previously scattered information and clarifying platform details.