Webix JavaScript UI library recently released by XB Software includes 45+ components to enable you to build HTML5 and CSS3 compatible applications which work with not only personal computer but also iOS, Android and Blackberry devices. It provides an ability to access offline web storage, geolocation API, canvas drawing in addition to jQuery and Backbone.js integration.
Webix controls provide a simple server-side integration with direct communication between the client-side Webix widgets data and various technologies such as PHP, ASP.NET, Java and Ruby. Moreover, the components also work with several MVC frameworks such as RoR, ASP.NET MVC, Spring, Struts and Grails.
As of the time of this writing,Webix library includes components such as Accordion, Calendar, Carousel, Chart, Colorboard, Context, ContextMenu, DataTable, Dataview, Form, Form Controls, Grouplist, HTMLform, IFrame, Layout, Resizer, List, Menu, Multiview, Popup, Property Sheet, Scrollview, Tabview, Template, Toolbar, Tree, Treetable, Unitlist, Uploader and Window.
InfoQ had a chat with Maksim Kozhukh, Lead Developer, XB Software to know more about Webix control library
InfoQ: What kind of applications can be developed using Webix?
Webix UI is designed to create web applications. It works in any browser and doesn't depend on the backend technology. It means that the library can be used with ASP.NET, PHP, Ruby or even backendless as a pure HTML+Javascript application. In .NET stack, Webix works better with MVC applications.
InfoQ: Can you elaborate more on Backbone.js integration? What advantage does it bring to developers?
Complex Javascript applications require some kind of MVC solution on client-side to manage logic and views. There are a lot of solutions: Backbone, Ember, Angular, etc. Instead of creating our own MVC client side solution, we are concentrated on creating a good UI library, which will use BackBone for MVC when necessary.
It is possible to define data models in Backbone way (there are a lot of ready to use solutions) and link Webix UI to backbone models. As result, the logic of an app will work with data through Backbone models, without caring about UI details. Adding|Deleting|Updating data will be automatically reflected in UI which significantly simplifies development.
InfoQ: How easy it is to integrate Webix with .NET?
It integrates easily with MVC.NET and can be used with .NET webservices (.NET code is used as a data provider while UI and client-side logic is implemented through Webix's code).
InfoQ: Can I build Windows Store Apps with Webix?
Technically you can do it. Webix UI is compatible with JavaScript based windows app development, but it doesn't have big benefits in this area. The main goal of the product is web development.
InfoQ: Can you please share with us the future plans of Webix?
We are planning to add more useful tools such as visual designer for UI, extra skins and tools for their customization.