Developer
Mobile

Progress Software has released the latest version of its NativeScript framework, helping to speed up cross-platform development.

NativeScript enables up to 70 percent of code from a web app to be reused for developing native software for mobile.

The latest version of the framework adds:

Support for Angular 8 and Vue.js, in addition to TypeScript and JavaScript.
Support for the new Ivy rendering engine.
Support for the new Android X library, enabling the use of the latest features of the newest Android versions when shipped.
The ability to consume third-party libraries directly in iOS.

Progress has worked hard to optimise NativeScript 6.0 for greater efficiency. The latest version delivers 30 percent faster builds on Android and a 10 percent faster startup time for iOS.

New flexible layouts have also been included. ‘TabView’ is just one example of a new layout available with less coding required:

Here’s an example of how to add a TabView to your page:

<TabView id="tabViewContainer">

<StackLayout *tabItem="{title: 'First Tab', iconSource: 'res://icon'}">

<StackLayout>

<Label text="First Tab" textWrap="true" class="m-15 h2 text-left" color="blue"></Label>

</StackLayout>

<StackLayout *tabItem="{title: 'Second Tab', iconSource: 'res://icon'}">

<StackLayout>

<Label text="Second Tab" textWrap="true" class="m-15 h2 text-left" color="blue"></Label>

</StackLayout>

</TabView>

Elsewhere, Progress has enabled third-party libraries to be consumed directly for iOS applications. Also on iOS is a new dark theme which coincides with the new system feature available in iOS 13.

“The latest release of NativeScript brings some amazing features for our enterprise customers,” said Dmitri Tcherevik, CTO, Progress. “Now developers will be able to ship updates faster, make even smaller app binaries, and the fastest delivery of cross-platform apps that are of the highest quality, providing the best user experience as demanded by our discerning users.”

Developer caught up with Tcherevik during Progress NEXT in Orlando in May. You can watch our discussion below about the company’s latest developments in solutions like Kinvey, spanning form factors including wearables and VR/AR, the use of AI for chatbots, and more:

Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this? Attend the co-located IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, AI & Big Data Expo, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo World Series with upcoming events in Silicon Valley, London, and Amsterdam.