diff --git a/packages/extension-api-explorer/README.md b/packages/extension-api-explorer/README.md
index 3f4a545fc..dbb1e3a0c 100644
--- a/packages/extension-api-explorer/README.md
+++ b/packages/extension-api-explorer/README.md
@@ -3,36 +3,14 @@
 The API Explorer extension can be manually installed and run with a Looker instance using the following steps:
 
 1. create a new LookML project called `apix`
-2. create a new model. In `apix.model`, put:
+1. create a new model. In `apix.model`, put:
    ```lookml
    connection: "<any valid connection name>"
    ```
-3. in `manifest.lkml` put:
-   ```lookml
-   project_name: "api-explorer"
-   application: api-explorer {
-      label: "API Explorer"
-      # file: "bundle.js"
-      url: "https://localhost:8080/dist/bundle.js"
-      entitlements: {
-         local_storage: yes
-         navigation: no
-         new_window: yes
-         new_window_external_urls: ["https://looker.com/*", "https://developer.mozilla.org/*", "https://docs.looker.com/*"]
-         raw_api_request: yes
-         use_form_submit: yes
-         use_embeds: yes
-         use_clipboard: yes
-         core_api_methods: ["versions", "api_spec"]
-         external_api_urls : ["https://raw.githubusercontent.com","http://localhost:30000","https://localhost:8080","https://static-a.cdn.looker.app","https://docs.looker.com","https://developer.mozilla.org/"]
-         oauth2_urls: []
-      }
-   }
-   ```
-   the `http://localhost:30000` is for when you want to use the [API Explorer file server](/apix-files/README.md)
-4. save all changes and deploy to production
-5. in the root of `sdk-codegen`:
+1. Use the contents of the linked [`manifest.lkml`](manifest.lkml) as the project's `manifest.lkml`. The `http://localhost:30000` url is for the optional [API Explorer file server](/apix-files/README.md)
+1. save all changes and deploy to production
+1. in the root of `sdk-codegen`:
 ```sh
 yarn && yarn build && yarn dev:xapix
 ```
-6. on the Looker web page, click `Browse|API Explorer` to view the API Explorer
+1. on the Looker web page, click `Browse|API Explorer` to view the API Explorer
diff --git a/packages/extension-api-explorer/bin/deploy b/packages/extension-api-explorer/bin/deploy
index 8f0337568..7b64230a8 100755
--- a/packages/extension-api-explorer/bin/deploy
+++ b/packages/extension-api-explorer/bin/deploy
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ rm -rf dist/
 echo "Creating extension-api-explorer production bundle"
 yarn bundle
 BUNDLE=$(pwd)"/dist/bundle.js"
+MANIFEST=$(pwd)"/manifest.lkml"
 
 cd "${ROOT}"/..
 if [ -d "extension-api-explorer" ]
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@ fi
 echo "Copying extension bundle into repo"
 git checkout main || { echo "Error checking out branch"; exit 1; }
 cp "${BUNDLE}" .
+cp "${MANIFEST}" .
 echo "Pushing changes to remote"
-git add bundle.js && git commit -m "${commit_msg}" && git push || { exit 1; }
+git add bundle.js manifest.lkml && git commit -m "${commit_msg}" && git push || { exit 1; }
 echo "The extension's bundle commit hash is:"
 git rev-parse HEAD
diff --git a/packages/extension-api-explorer/manifest.lkml b/packages/extension-api-explorer/manifest.lkml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..428df45ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/extension-api-explorer/manifest.lkml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+project_name: "api-explorer"
+
+application: api-explorer {
+  label: "API Explorer"
+  # file: "bundle.js"
+  url: "https://localhost:8080/dist/bundle.js"
+  entitlements: {
+     local_storage: yes
+     navigation: no
+     new_window: yes
+     new_window_external_urls: ["https://looker.com/*", "https://developer.mozilla.org/*", "https://docs.looker.com/*"]
+     raw_api_request: yes
+     use_form_submit: yes
+     use_embeds: yes
+     use_clipboard: yes
+     core_api_methods: ["versions", "api_spec"]
+     external_api_urls : ["https://raw.githubusercontent.com","http://localhost:30000","https://localhost:8080","https://static-a.cdn.looker.app","https://docs.looker.com","https://developer.mozilla.org/"]
+     oauth2_urls: []
+  }
+}
+
+constant: CONNECTION_NAME {
+  value: ""
+  export: override_optional
+}