News

Kony Goes Omni-Channel with New JavaScript API Approach for Mobile Development

• By David Ramel
• November 15, 2016

Kony Inc. today announced a new JavaScript-driven, omni-channel approach to low-code mobile app development, designed to let developers mix and match native, Web and hybrid approaches in one cross-platform solution.

Kony Nitro is the name of the new omni-channel engine backing the company's updated Kony Mobility Platform, featuring a cross-platform JavaScript API that lets developers create apps leveraging the underlying capabilities of the iOS and Android platforms. To create such apps with the visual, model-driven, low-code approach, developers can use options such as hybrid Web-based JavaScript frameworks, the open source, cross-platform Cordova technology and Angular, an open-source, front-end application framework primarily maintained by Google.

"Truly cross-platform native, Web and hybrid development styles are available in one toolset," the company said in a statement. "Customers can choose the style that best meets the needs of their app, or combine a mix of all three development styles inside a single app."

The new Nitro engine support the company's other development tools such as Kony Visualizer and Kony MobileFabric. Visualizer is an app design and development suite used for rapidly creating native mobile apps and Web apps, serving as a front end to the Nitro engine. MobileFabric is used to provide back-end functionality for those mobile apps through the integration of modular, pre-built components and services.

Kony Visualizer comes in a "free forever" download, while MobileFabric is available in a free trial.

"The marketplace shift to omni-channel development spanning native, Web and hybrid styles adds new complexity and drives new market requirements," said exec Burley Kawasaki. "Customers can optimize their current approach to get the best user experience, speed or control, but they usually never get all three at the same time. The latest updates to the Kony Mobility Platform address these issues head-on, giving customers complete access to full OS and device capabilities, the ability to reuse existing skills, access to Web app components and a broad ecosystem of open source and third-party frameworks, and the ability for rapid development using single visual design tools."

Kony was recently named a "leader" in the mobile application development platform (MADP) space by independent research firms Forrester Research Inc. and Gartner Inc.

"Kony is in the Leaders quadrant this year, based on its continued strong execution globally -- particularly in building strong partnerships with system integrators, including a global alliance with Cognizant -- and its completeness of offering," Gartner said in a June report. "Being the largest independent MADP provider, Kony's vision also continues to be strong in relation to both the richness of its front-end development and its forward-thinking back-end services and integration capabilities."