Progress announced the latest version of its open-source framework for cross-platform, native iOS and Android app development at its annual conference ProgressNEXT in Boston this week.
NativeScript 4.0 is designed to ease mobile development with a new streamlined development workflow, support for advanced navigation scenarios and deeper integration with Vue.js.
According to the company, 70 percent of the developer population uses JavaScript as their preferred programming language of choice. NativeScript 4.0 aims to help developers utilize their existing skill sets with new core framework updates, toolings and plugins.
“It is no secret that building high-quality mobile apps requires native capabilities. NativeScript puts those capabilities into the hands of a large population of developers who want to use their skills in JavaScript, Angular, TypeScript or Vue.js to build the next wave of modern mobile apps,” said Dmitri Tcherevik, chief technology officer for Progress. “The latest release of NativeScript continues our mission to empower those developers to create high-impact and high-performing iOS and Android apps faster and easier than ever before.”
The latest release features Angular 6 support, the latest version of the cross-platform framework. NativeScript 4.0 enables users to build web and mobile apps with the Angular CLI and Angular Schematics, the frameworks workflow tool for development extensibility and reusability.
“NativeScript empowers web developers to use their existing skill sets to build great iOS and Android experiences,” said Stephen Fluin, developer advocate for Angular. “The growing NativeScript community, plugin marketplace, and the support Progress provides to the developer community makes it easy for developers to take their expertise and code further.”
Other features include: the ability to enable LifeSync with Webpack simultaneously for a better development experience and asset generation and updated templates to eliminate things like image editing.
Still to come on the company’s roadmap include: improved code samples and templates, documentation enhancements, support for code sharing between web and mobile projects, improved developer experience and business app development capabilities. The next version of NativeScript is expected later next month and will include: extended CSS support, debugging with Webpack CLI, Android runtime performance improvements, upgrade to the latest V8 in the Android runtime, support for debugging on multiple iOS simulators, and new getting started workflow and installation experience improvements.
