Ext JS 4 raises the bar for cross-browser web apps. New features include plug-in-free charting, fully customizable theming, upgraded components — all packaged in a modern app framework that delivers high-quality, predictable results faster and easier than ever.
04.26. 2011 — REDWOOD CITY, Calif.: Sencha, the leading provider of HTML5 frameworks and tools for desktop and mobile application developers, has completed development of Ext JS 4, which is now available for immediate download. Ext JS 4, the company’s biggest software release in two years, represents a major upgrade of the flagship Sencha JavaScript framework, which is used by more than one million developers to create amazing cross-browser app experiences that execute with precision and performance. Highlights of the release include major enhancements to the drawing and charting capabilities of Ext JS, comprehensive cross-browser support, and an improved data package — all based on a modern architecture.
“Ext JS 4 is the most advanced framework we’ve ever shipped, and gives enterprises and development firms tremendous firepower to build the next generation of cross-platform web apps,” said Abe Elias, Sencha’s CTO. “Whether you’re using our new UI components, the new charting package, or theming your application, Ext JS 4 makes it easy to build an advanced, highly functional app that harnesses the power and ubiquity of the web, regardless of which browser you’re using.”
“Ext JS is the core client-side framework for Marketo applications. We’re excited about the new features in Ext JS 4, especially the plug-in-free charting package, modern framework and performance improvements,” said Glen Lipka, senior director of user experience at Marketo. “With the new charting package, we can build rich, fast animations, and they’re completely integrated. In addition, the modern framework enables us to add new features in a couple of weeks instead of months. We’ve been using Ext JS since 2007, and it has allowed us to focus on building feature-rich applications that help us grow our business.”
Plug-in-free charting
Ext JS 4 is leading the industry trend away from relying on plug-ins, which includes Apple’s decision to ship the latest Macs without browser plug-ins. Ext JS 4 delivers a wide assortment of the most advanced drawing, charting and graphing capabilities of any JavaScript framework, and renders pixel-perfect visuals on every popular browser and OS. The new drawing and charting packages leverage SVG and VML, and equip developers to add advanced graphics, charts and graphs to their web apps, confident that they will look sharp on everything from Internet Explorer 6 to Chrome.
“We are very impressed with the increased performance of Ext JS 4 and all of the advanced new features, including charting, grids, and the MVC-based app framework,” said Nils Dehl, senior developer at dkd Internet Service GmbH. “Using Ext JS 4 charting components, we’re able to build richer, cross-browser web applications that are exceptionally responsive, without the need for plug-ins. Plus, the MVC app framework makes it easy for our developers to build new applications very quickly by leveraging our existing app structure and architecture.”
Theming
Recognizing that the look and feel of any application is just as important as its functional capabilities, Ext JS 4 harnesses technology originally developed for Sencha Touch to make the framework more themeable than ever. Every aspect of the framework’s appearance can be customized, often by simply adjusting a single variable.
Industry-leading cross-browser support
Sencha has always been synonymous with excellent cross-platform execution that enables developers to deploy the same code on the widest array of browsers and operating systems. Ext JS 4 goes even further, delivering high-fidelity support for more than ten years of browsers in one release: Chrome 5+, Firefox 3+, Internet Explorer 6+, Safari 3.2+, and Opera 10+. On modern browsers, Ext JS 4 harnesses the power of HTML5 with capabilities such as CSS3 styling, and gracefully falls back to alternative solutions on legacy browsers.
Modern app framework
Ext JS 4 is a major step forward for web frameworks. It adds more than 270 new APIs, 35 new classes, and extensive new documentation. Ext JS 4 also includes significant enhancements to the data package — one of the most-loved components of Ext JS. The data package enables developers to use a model-view-controller (MVC) application architecture to build larger and more complex web applications. Enhancements in this release enable apps to leverage features like Infinite Scrolling and the new, smarter Grid Components to add an entirely new level of interactivity to web apps.
“Ext JS 4 looks great, and it’s a huge leap forward in client-side development for our products,” said Stefan Gehrig, system architect at TEQneers. “With its easy migration path, Ext JS 4 will soon be part of all our major applications. Our users and developers will benefit because of the cross-browser support and increased performance.”
Sencha tools set the industry standard with wide community acceptance
Enterprises are already migrating their core enterprise applications from first-generation Web architectures to modern, single-page Web applications powered by the latest AJAX technologies. Enterprises and development firms are increasingly choosing Sencha tools and SDKs because of their ability to deliver faster development times and better user experiences. As a result, the Sencha developer community has more than doubled over the last year and now numbers over 230,000 registered members. The recent launch of SenchaDevs, a directory of application development firms experienced with Sencha technologies, has attracted more than 400 partner signups.
Sencha Ext JS 4 pricing and availability
Sencha Ext JS 4 is available now from www.sencha.com. Current customers with a valid Standard or Premium support subscription will receive Ext JS 4 as a part of their support agreement. Single developer licenses start at $329 or $595 with included support. Volume discounts and further pricing details are available on the Sencha website.
