diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 29205c5..6c9ad7c 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
 
 export(analyze)
+export(app)
 export(box_plot)
 export(overview_plot)
 export(rank_genes)
diff --git a/R/app.R b/R/app.R
index eab618b..7e56ce5 100644
--- a/R/app.R
+++ b/R/app.R
@@ -5,20 +5,34 @@
 #' @param custom_dataset This allows to set a custom dataset (return value of
 #'   [analyze()]) as the default dataset of the UI.
 #'
+#' @seealso [app()] for retrieving a Shiny app object.
+#'
 #' @export
 run_app <- function(host = "127.0.0.1",
                     port = 3464,
                     custom_dataset = NULL) {
   runApp(
-    shinyApp(
-      ui(custom_dataset = custom_dataset),
-      server(custom_dataset = custom_dataset)
-    ),
+    app(custom_dataset = custom_dataset),
     host = host,
     port = port
   )
 }
 
+#' Create a shiny application for Ubigen.
+#'
+#' @param custom_dataset This allows to set a custom dataset (return value of
+#'   [analyze()]) as the default dataset of the UI.
+#'
+#' @seealso [run_app()] for immediately running the application.
+#'
+#' @export
+app <- function(custom_dataset = NULL) {
+  shinyApp(
+    ui(custom_dataset = custom_dataset),
+    server(custom_dataset = custom_dataset)
+  )
+}
+
 #' Run the Ubigen API.
 #'
 #' This requires the `plumber` package to be installed.
diff --git a/man/app.Rd b/man/app.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28176f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/app.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/app.R
+\name{app}
+\alias{app}
+\title{Create a shiny application for Ubigen.}
+\usage{
+app(custom_dataset = NULL)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{custom_dataset}{This allows to set a custom dataset (return value of
+\code{\link[=analyze]{analyze()}}) as the default dataset of the UI.}
+}
+\description{
+Create a shiny application for Ubigen.
+}
+\seealso{
+\code{\link[=run_app]{run_app()}} for immediately running the application.
+}
diff --git a/man/run_app.Rd b/man/run_app.Rd
index db863e1..876f496 100644
--- a/man/run_app.Rd
+++ b/man/run_app.Rd
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@ run_app(host = "127.0.0.1", port = 3464, custom_dataset = NULL)
 \description{
 Run the application server.
 }
+\seealso{
+\code{\link[=app]{app()}} for retrieving a Shiny app object.
+}