Making a web application should be easy.
While developing Webix, we have tried to create components that simplify the development of web applications. Fast, clear, customizable; Such are the components we needed for our projects.
However, it was not enough. Every time we were developing new applications, we invented new solutions about how to keep the code, how to organize navigation, how to work with the server-side code and lots of other boring tasks. After a while, we decided that enough is enough. Eventually, all the best practices for developing on Webix were combined into a micro-framework. So, that’s how Webix Jet was born.
What is Webix Jet
Webix Jet is a micro framework for a single-page application. As you probably know, Webix is a library of diverse and separate UI components. Webix Jet is a framework which allows you to combine and reuse them all and to create and develop your perfect app with minimal code footprint and without stress.
It is very light in weight (less than 10 kb of code ), works with any back end (NodeJs, PHP, .Net ) and can be used for both Desktop and Mobile apps.
You can grab the demo app-package and check for yourself. The app is a pure Javascript, so just unpack it and open index.html in the browser. Or, if you are really lazy, check the online demo app that was created with Webix Jet.
How it makes life better
We have prepared a quick “How to start” tutorial, so that you can start there, or if you are not convinced yet, read a summary below.
There are two major concepts behind Webix Jet.
Modules
In the case of Webix Jet, code and UI is split in isolated modules. These can be reused in many places across the app. It means that instead of a long, single file with complex JSON objects and messy functions, you can have a set of small clean files. (Javascript still doesn’t have a native support for modules, so RequireJS was used for this task).
Even very complicated UI can be divided into separate blocks, which can be used independently.
Routing
URL is a blueprint for your UI. With Webix Jet, you can use native HTML URLs to show the different pages of single page app. For example, when you enter in a browser:
The app will render a UI described in views/top.js file, and then insert UI of report.js in it. On top of that, it will add UI from the details.js file. Want to change the details report to the overview page?, just navigate the page to:
That’s not all
There are many other shiny things here. Webix Jet utilizes data binding functionality of Webix UI so you can describe data and UI separately. The app level events help to link the separate modules in a flexible way. A set of helper modules solves common tasks such as localization, access control, scaffolding and notifications.
Check our live docs, and leave comments if something is not clear.
Let’s face the truth. The creation of web apps must not be painful. If you have a different experience, then you have used the wrong tools. Just give Webix Jet a chance and you will not regret.
What are you waiting for? Do it now, download Webix Jet for free!
