Progress Software has launched a new version of its Telerik application development platform that makes mobile development simpler and faster for programmers.
The Telerik Platform combines UI tools and cloud services to enable developers to build apps that run on all the popular operating systems and devices, the company said. Progress announced its intent to acquire toolmaker Telerik last October and completed the deal in December.
Telerik initially launched the Telerik Platform in January 2014. In June, the company added three new modules focusing on prototyping, distributing and gathering user feedback. The tools suite has been widely adopted by developers, with more than 20,000 apps built using the platform. Moreover, with the launch of the Verified Plugins Marketplace, a gallery of Cordova/PhoneGap plug-ins, Telerik is building a strong ecosystem of plug-ins for creating applications using open-source Cordova APIs.
The new Telerik Platform release focuses on speed and mobile development. Telerik offers day one support for the latest iOS and Android releases and features device cloud testing, enabling automated app testing for hundreds of different devices.
According to a Gartner study, “Cloud testing solutions are becoming commonplace in performance and load testing, including performance monitoring. In addition, the demands created by bring your own device (BYOD) programs and development pressure around device-centered computing has created a strong drive to make use of device clouds.”
Another key enhancement is Screen Builder, beta technology that accelerates PhoneGap app scaffolding and enables both developers and business users to create 80 percent of a mobile app from prebuilt and prewired screens―without ever touching code.
“The Telerik Platform solution demonstrates our capabilities within the mobile space and our ongoing commitment to the developer communities we serve,” said Aaron Mahimainathan, senior vice president of DevTools & Platform at Telerik, in a statement. “Making the development process a seamless experience—regardless of the development approach—is a top priority. After many successes, including thousands of apps built, a global customer base and a ‘Visionary’ position in the Gartner MQ for Mobile App Dev Platforms, the latest Telerik Platform release makes it by far the most robust platform in the market for creating beautiful enterprise and consumer apps.”
The latest Telerik Platform also makes mobile development easier with its new mobile app dev quick-start templates to get developers building complex mobile apps fast. With the new templates and quick-start workflows, developers can build their first app in as few as 15 minutes, the company said. In addition, the release enhances interactive push notifications with the Telerik Cordova Push plug-in with built-in back-end services, push troubleshooting logs and a simplified push API.
Meanwhile, Telerik’s open-source NativeScript platform is gaining momentum in private beta. NativeScript is a cross-platform JavaScript framework for building native mobile apps. NativeScript now includes support for CSS styling of native app UIs, an improved cross-platform JavaScript framework, support for third-party native libraries and the ability to build native apps using command line interface.
Progress Software said more than 600 enterprise organizations use the Telerik Platform to create business apps. Telerik Platform apps range from HR and payroll services, governmental data and inventory control to property details and more. A sampling of the company’s enterprise customers includes Boston Heart Diagnostics, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, United Health and the University of Wisconsin.
“At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we chose Telerik Platform and Kendo UI solutions for our Badger Gameday app for two reasons: The hybrid development approach allowed us to leverage our existing HTML and JavaScript expertise, and the Telerik Platform offering makes delivering test builds and publishing the app to market incredibly simple,” said Brad Westness, an IT specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in a statement.
“Our testers love the Telerik AppBuilder companion app’s LiveSync feature which makes it unbelievably quick and simple to test new builds,” he said. “The Kendo UI controls enable our users to get the game results, schedules, video highlights and other fan info they need in a fast, fluid interface with performance that feels truly native. The Telerik Platform solution removes all the friction and complexity of cross-platform mobile development, and allows us to deliver an app that would simply be too time consuming to develop and support otherwise.”