Today, at the beginning of 2022, we want to announce our ambitious plans for the upcoming year. As you know, each year we try to create something new for our customers and admirers of web technologies. And this year is by far no exception. Let’s dive into details of the upcoming features and upgrades of the Webix UI library.
Table of contents:
Chat updates
In the near future the Chat widget will be extended by the much-awaited features, namely:
- Emoji
- Reactions
- Formatting (markdown)
- Multi-user calls, including video calls.
Emoji
With this functionality the users will be able to express emotions when chatting with friends and coworkers. Sometimes it is very helpful, because in some cases you just need to send 1 pictogram instead of 1000 words to show what you feel right now.
Reactions
Besides using the emoji in messages, you will be able to react with emoji to incoming messages.
Formatting
We are also going to extend the Chat widget with an ability to format the text message using a markdown syntax.
Pivot updates
Recently renewed Pivot will get new functionality as well. The changes will affect the Three, Table and Chart modes.
The Chart mode will be boosted by new types of charts, namely:
– barH
– stackedArea
– stackedBar
– stackedBarH
In the Tree and Table modes the users will be able to add extra columns with total values. Depending on the configuration, it will be possible to display the columns only with values the “sum” function is applied to.
Besides, the widget will be extended with a complex math editor. It will provide the users with an ability to apply multiple functions to the same value.
Scheduler updates
All the time we are working on the new features to improve and simplify the process of time management in Scheduler. In the foreseeable future the component will be extended with the following abilities:
- Easy adding new Events by DND
- Copy-pasting of Events
Easy adding new Events by DND
Adding Events via DND will make it easier for your users to create events in the Scheduler workspace. To create a new event, the users should click on the empty space, move the cursor down and release it. This behavior is set by default, but you will be able to turn it off.
Copy-pasting of Events
Another long-await functionality is an ability to copy & paste events using familiar shortcuts. The users will be able to use well known hotkeys (Ctrl-C, Ctrl-X, Ctrl-V) to perform copy/cut & paste operations with events. In addition to using the hotkeys, you can also copy the needed event by pressing the “ctrl” button and dragging the event.
Spreadsheet updates
We don’t forget to improve one of the oldest and most powerful widgets in the Webix UI library. In the further versions, Spreadsheet will be supplemented with a following upgrades:
- new chart types:
- new sparkline types:
- faster data loading
- improved fonts and font-sizes controls
- an ability to cut, copy, paste and special paste via context menu.
- barH
- stackedBarH
- barH
- donut
- radar
Diagram updates
A young but forward-looking widget for working with diagrams will also be enhanced by the important updates, namely:
- new arrangement algorithms (including the dimensions), whereby the blocks will be distributed in a most handy and efficient way
- smoothed lines of links and improved autorouting algorithms.
File Manager updates
Apart from loading separate files into File Manager, it will be possible to work with directories as well. Earlier, you could do this via customization only.
Report Manager updates
Important changes are planned for the Report Manager widget. In the immediate future you will be able to work with reports in the following way:
- create reports consisted of multiple tables/charts
- combine records in buckets for subsequent grouping or aggregating them in each bucket
- integrate Report Manager with Pivot. In this case you will have an ability to create pivot-reports and include them in the big report.
New widgets
This year we’re going to widen a line of our complex widgets. The developers are working hard to make your life easier. For that reason we have a plan to release 2 conceptual solutions for you, namely: To Do List and RichText.
To Do List
This solution will make it possible to manage all your plans via a suitable app and complete all the daily tasks in a timely manner.
RichText
With this long-awaited widget you will be able to edit texts, images, lists and tables as well as do formatting.
Webix Core updates
The Core of our library will also get new updates, namely:
- more sparkline types:
- combo will have a “newValues” property (like multicombo).
- barH (the “bar” type with the “horizontal: true” property)
- donut (the “pie” type with the “donut: true” property)
- radar
New Skins
One of the most significant features of this year is the New Skins. Autumn this year will cheer you up with new skins for the components of Webix core and complex widgets as well. It is about the following skins:
– Webix Light Skin
– Webix Dark Skin
Now they are at the design stage and will appear no earlier than the 10.0 release.
New Backend
Besides the UI updates, we strive to actively develop and improve a server side of our complex widgets. In this way, some of them will be boosted by the new examples written on Node.js, PHP and .NET.
What’s next
In this article we have covered our roadmap for 2022 and maybe a bit further.You need to know that our plans are flexible enough and can be rescheduled later. We can also announce other upgrades if they will be in our plans. If we have missed something important, do not hesitate to tell us about it in the comments below or via the special feedback form here.
