The release of versions 24.5 of Instant Developer Foundation and Instant Developer Cloud marks a milestone: it’s the first time that the two Instant Developer platforms have been released at the same time.
This simultaneous release fits perfectly in the development strategy for the two products, and the synergy between Foundation and Cloud is embodied in the Fluid graphic engine, which is a core technology for both. The shared use of Fluid allows for a consistent and efficient flow of updates between the two platforms, ensuring that the benefits resulting from improvements to one program are also delivered back to the other.
In this article we’ll take a look at the improvements introduced in these two releases, which bring with them two significant advances. First, the new Vela graphic theme for Foundation, which offers developers the option to create attractive, modern interfaces in line with the latest in UX design trends. Second, the automatic integration of APIs in Instant Developer Cloud, using OpenAPI and Swagger files to automatically generate the necessary code and connect to external services more quickly and efficiently.
Let’s explore all the details.
Synergy between Foundation and Cloud
The simultaneous release of versions 24.5 of Instant Developer Foundation and Instant Developer Cloud mark yet another step in building the synergy between the two platforms. The Fluid graphics engine is a concrete example: this shared technology enables the two products to evolve together and benefit from the same improvements.
Before this release, Foundation and Cloud were updated at different times, resulting in longer waits for implementation of optimizations in Fluid from one product to the other. With the 24.5 versions this problem has been solved, ensuring a more effective integration between the two environments. Now you can take immediate advantage of every improvement made to Fluid in both products.
Vela: the new Foundation graphic theme
One of the strengths of the new Foundation is the new graphic theme. It’s called Vela, and it’s a significant advancement in creating applications with attractive, modern interfaces.
Vela is based on Fluid, and that directly affects application responsiveness and user experience. With a theme like Vela, you can ensure faster rendering times, more fluid animations, and better management of complex graphic elements, which is a particularly important factor when developing functionality-rich user interfaces. This enables you not only to meet the needs of end users, but also to optimize application performance, thereby reducing the load on devices and browsers.
Vela was designed to align with the latest UX design trends, offering you the ability to create user interfaces using all the techniques provided by modern UX. It’s the perfect way to satisfy even your most demanding clients.
OpenAPI for automatic integration of APIs on Instant Developer Cloud
In terms of Instant Developer Cloud, one innovation with an outsize impact coming in version 24.5 is the option to connect any API automatically, using the OpenAPI specifications and Swagger files to describe and automate integrations.
Imagine needing to integrate a service like Unsplash: until yesterday, you’d have had to study the documentation, write the code to make the calls, and convert the responses. Now, this entire process is completely automated, saving you multiple hours, if not days, of work.
More powerful Fluid grids and grouped panels
Another especially important improvement concerns the development of Fluid grids in Instant Developer Cloud which now perform better when scrolling, both horizontally and vertically, and which more effectively manage tables with millions of rows and hundreds of columns . These improvements are shared with Foundation, ensuring a more fluid user experience in applications created with both products.
In addition, we’ve also added the option to use grouped panels in Instant Developer Cloud as well, making organizing data in the grids more efficient. This feature allows you to group information in a logical, structured way, making navigation and data analysis easier.
Customization at the cell level with CSS classes for Foundation
One of the most frequent requests we get from developers who work with Foundation is the option to specify a CSS class dynamically on individual cells in the grid. This functionality has now been achieved. This way you have complete freedom to customize the style of applications, adapting every graphic detail to the specific needs of the project.
With this new option, there are no longer any graphic elements in Foundation that cannot be completely customized using CSS. This allows for advanced controls on the layout and graphic style to guarantee greater consistency and customization for interfaces. And, obviously, people who prefer to use Visual Styles can continue to do so, exactly like they did before.
Together for a shared vision
The innovations and improvements in versions 24.5 of Cloud and Foundation, along with our steadfast commitment to keeping modules up to date and packages available for the two Instant Developer platforms, mark an important step forward in improving the efficiency of your work and your applications.
What’s more, the simultaneous release provides an additional advantage, improving consistency between the two products and reducing times for adopting new functionalities. To learn more about what’s new and the improvements and fixes, read the complete release notes for Instant Developer Foundation 24.5 and Instant Developer Cloud 24.5.
