News

Syncfusion Expands JavaScript Libraries for Mobile Development

• By David Ramel
• April 22, 2014

Development tool maker Syncfusion Inc. recently updated its Essential Studio 2014 suite of tools with 27 new JavaScript libraries aimed at mobile app developers.

The new widgets for UI components such as grids, charts, maps, gauges, list boxes and so on are all touch-optimized to smooth mobile development, the company said, in recognition of the increasing use of JavaScript for line-of-business apps. Syncfusion specializes in development tools for the Microsoft .NET Framework.

Each library ships with themes for iOS, Android and Windows to mirror the appearance of native apps on those OSes, along with a "flat" theme designed by Syncfusion. Mobile developers can use one of those themes or choose an automatic mode that modifies the appearance of a control according to what device is being used to render the app.

Syncfusion said all the new libraries can work with the popular Knockout JavaScript framework. The company also offers nine data-visualization controls in the JavaScript studio that can be used in mobile development.

In the first of its quarterly product updates for this year, the company also updated its existing JavaScript libraries to match the functionality of its .NET component suites. "The Chart library for JavaScript, for example, features new axes, smart labels and more," the company said in a news release, "while the OLAP JavaScript libraries have added support for filtering, sorting, localization and several new chart types."

Syncfusion also included new libraries for HTML5 Web development for diagramming, scheduling, tracking projects and other actions. "The mobile and HTML5-based JavaScript libraries we've added in Volume 1 make it the only package that prepares business developers for the mobile environment," said Daniel Jebaraj, company vice president. "Our customers are looking for ways to build applications that run across different devices and platforms, and JavaScript and HTML are great for that."

The Essential Studio for JavaScript, which now includes more than 70 unique controls, costs $599. That product is one component of the comprehensive enterprise edition, which includes tools for ASP.NET MVC, the Windows Runtime, Windows Phone and many other .NET technologies. It's available as a free trial.