Exciting Product Announcements at SenchaCon 2016

Today is a very exciting day at SenchaCon! We just unveiled the Early Access versions of six products, plus new integrations, plans to open source Fashion, and new research about the state of the modern web. Let’s break down the announcements.

Embracing Modern JavaScript

We showed a preview of the technology we’re creating to embrace new language features of ES2015 (formerly ES6) within Ext JS. Don Griffin’s blog post, Ext JS and ES2015/6/7 – Modernizing the Ext JS Class System, provides some examples. We also discussed our plans to adopt a modern and open toolchain that will give you greater flexibility and freedom in your tooling selections.

GXT 5 Early Access

We’re enabling Java developers to build powerful web applications with GXT 5, which offers responsive design, true mobile widgets, material design, and a new theming system. GXT 5 features significant performance improvements.

Download GXT 5 Early Access

Ext JS Tools Early Access

We know that tools are becoming increasingly important to web app developers, especially as teams are faced with delivering sophisticated, data-intensive web applications. We’ve continued to make significant investments in tooling to help teams improve productivity.

• Sencha Cmd 6.5 provides support for ES2015 (formerly ES6) in Ext JS 6.x applications and enables developers to build progressive web applications which are helping the web win on mobile.
• New Sencha Visual Studio Code Plugin enables you to write Ext JS apps from within Microsoft’s new code editor, allowing for advanced code generation and code completion. This new plugin will be part of Ext JS Standard.
• Sencha Architect 4.1 now supports premium features, including Calendar and Pivot Grid.
• Sencha Themer 1.1 enables users to easily theme applications without having to style all of the UI components.

Download Ext JS Tools Early Access

Sencha Themer now part of Ext JS Pro

Sencha Themer has been very well-received, and we want to make it available to more of our development community. We’re adding Themer to the Ext JS Pro package. Now all Ext JS Pro customers, with current maintenance and support agreements, can use Themer at no extra cost. Download the latest version of Sencha Themer from the Support Portal.

New Sencha Theming Contest: Enter for a chance to win $2,500 prize

Show off your creativity by taking part in our new theming contest. The contest winner will receive a $2,500 prize.
Learn more

New React Integration

We’ve developed a new bridge that enables you to use the Ext JS grid, treegrid, pivot grid, calendar, charts, and other components in your React-based apps. You can use React for the basic building blocks of your app and then add powerful Ext JS components to complete your data-intensive, cross-platform app. Mark Brocato’s blog post, React and Ext JS: Secret Besties, provides some examples.

Download the React integration package

Angular 2 Integration Preview

We shared a preview of how Ext JS components can be used with Angular 2. We’ll share more information on this integration in the near future.

Ext-Electron Package

We also shared a new Ext-Electron Package which contains components and functionality that enables developers to more easily build desktop apps when using Ext JS with Electron.

Download the Ext-Electron Package

Open Sourcing Fashion

We also announced our plans to open source Fashion, a JavaScript-based theme compiler. Fashion has been the foundation of the Ext JS theming system since Ext JS 6.0, and it allows for near real-time theme generation. Fashion accepts most Sass source code and contains language extensions for better tooling support.

Sencha Test 2.0 Early Access: Improved Application Testing

High quality is critical to a great user experience. Sencha Test 2.0 offers new capabilities to help your teams test their web applications faster and lower the overall cost of building quality apps. New features include:

• Integration with WebDriver which enables the inspection of elements and control of user agents to remotely interact with web browsers
• Multi-page application testing
• Enhanced event recorder, screen comparisons, and comprehensive results reporting for faster test creation and automation

Download Sencha Test 2.0 Early Access

New Research: State of the Modern Web

We announced the results of brand new research on the State of the Modern Web. Of the more than 1,300 global respondents surveyed, 93% said that web tech was critical to their success. And the research showed that the desktop is far from dead, with 80% stating that desktop applications are absolutely essential. Everyone surveyed plans to use data visualization or analytics capabilities in their applications.

Download the complete report

Share Your Feedback

We hope you’re as excited about all of these updates as we are! Share your feedback in the Sencha Forums.