In WaveMaker Studio version 11.9, we're excited to introduce a host of new features, enhancements & stack upgrades that further empower developers and improve the overall experience of app development. With this release, we’ve upgraded the underlying technology stack to support Java 17 & 21, along with Spring 6.x. We’ve also enhanced usability with a redesigned database designer, added real-time data handling with WebSocket services, and improved developer experience with features like zoom functionality in Canvas and enhanced file upload capabilities.

Additionally, we're making a significant move towards accessibility by ensuring that all generated applications are compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA standards, helping developers build inclusive apps for all users.

This article provides an in-depth look at the WaveMaker Studio 11.9 release, covering the migration to the latest technology stack, what to expect, and how to prepare for the upgrade.

Here’s a closer look at what’s coming in WaveMaker Studio 11.9.

As highlighted in one of our previous posts, starting with version 11.9, WaveMaker applications will be transitioning to Java 17/21 and Spring 6. This is a significant upgrade, and as noted earlier, regarding the shift from javax to jakarta namespaces, there is a namespace change in the dependent libraries that necessitates the migration of your WaveMaker applications.

This post will guide you through what to expect during the migration process. We'll cover which components are automatically updated by the platform and which areas may require manual intervention. By breaking down the migration of Java classes, dependencies, and other elements, you'll gain a clear understanding of how WaveMaker manages this transition and what steps you can take to ensure a smooth upgrade.

WaveMaker Studio is evolving its canvas layout options to provide developers with more precise control. We're excited to introduce Zoom Level settings, which will replace the previous MDPI options while offering greater flexibility in how you view and work with your app screens.

Currently, WaveMaker Studio offers two layout options for the canvas size, as outlined below:

1. Fit to Screen -​

This option ensures that the entire app screen being developed fits within the available display area without requiring any scrolling or resizing. It automatically adjusts the content to match the screen's resolution or aspect ratio for optimal visibility.

2. Laptop with MDPI Screen -​

This layout displays the app screen at MDPI resolution, which may be higher than your current screen resolution, providing a more realistic view of the actual app resolution.

At WaveMaker, we’re always striving to enhance our tools to better align with the needs and workflows of our customers. One area we’ve been paying close attention to is our Database Designer. While our previous designer offered comprehensive features — such as allowing users to create and alter schemas, applying database constraints, establish relationships, and many more — it became clear that it was too bulky for most use cases. Many of our customers prefer to manage their database schema outside of our product, typically handled by their organization’s Database Administrators (DBAs).

After gathering feedback and analyzing how the tool was being used, we’ve redesigned the Database Designer from the ground up. Our new, sleeker version focuses on simplicity and clarity, ensuring that users have a smoother experience while keeping the core functionality intact.

In our previous post, we explored the importance of transitioning from the javax to jakarta namespace and why it is essential. Now, the next major step is upgrading the Servlet and Spring Framework used in WaveMaker applications.

This upgrade entails moving from Servlet 4 to Servlet 6 and Spring 5 to Spring 6, ensuring that applications stay aligned with the latest web standards and development practices.

Why Is the Servlet and Spring Upgrade Required?​

As of August 31, 2024 Spring 5 has reached its end of life. To stay up-to-date with the latest web standards and receive ongoing updates, upgrading to Spring 6 is crucial.

Spring 6 has been redesigned to support Jakarta EE, which in turn requires Servlet 6. Therefore upgrading to Spring 6 also mandates an upgrade to Servlet 6.

Additionally, Spring 6 requires Java 17+ and brings significant performance, compatibility, and security improvements. However, both Servlet 6 and Spring 6 are not backward compatible, so applications still using Servlet 4 and Spring 5 must be upgraded.

For a detailed list of changes refer to the official Servlet 6 and Spring 6 documentation.

During mobile application development, Appium, an automation testing framework, assists in extracting accessibility IDs used for writing automation scripts to ensure the application functions as expected.

In applications built with Expo 50 and React Native 0.73, certain issues with Appium were observed, stemming from limitations in React Native 0.73. However, with the enhancements in Expo 51 and React Native 0.74, these issues related to accessibility IDs and automation testing will be resolved.

The switch from the javax to jakarta namespace is one of the most significant changes in the Java in the past 20+ years, without a question. This shift impacts the entire ecosystem—not just Java EE servers, but also a wide range of libraries, including Spring, Hibernate etc.

Let's understand what it is and how WaveMaker apps get impacted.

The History​

Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE, formerly J2EE) has long been the standard for building enterprise-grade applications, governed by the Java Community Process (JCP) and managed by Oracle. Java EE provided the core libraries for web technologies, including Servlets, JSP, and EJB, all under the javax namespace.

On September 12, 2017, Oracle announced its decision to transfer Java EE to the Eclipse Foundation. However, the Eclipse Foundation and Oracle could not reach an agreement on the use of the javax namespace and Java trademarks, as Oracle retained ownership of the "Java" trademark. As a result, the platform was renamed from Java EE to Jakarta EE.

Starting with Jakarta EE 9.x, all existing libraries in the javax package have been renamed to the jakarta package. This change requires all Java EE-based libraries, including Servlets, to transition from the javax namespace to the jakarta namespace.

This is a significant shift, as not only your application but also all its dependencies must be upgraded to accommodate this namespace change.

With the 11.8.1 release, we introduced significant changes to our release notes, enhancing transparency, readability, and ensuring timely availability of detailed information. We took it a step further with the 11.8.3 release, providing customers with all the necessary information two days ahead of the release.

As Java 11 Long Term Support (LTS) is reaching its end of life in October 2024, it's necessary to upgrade the Java version used by our platform and generated applications. To ensure continued support, we need to adopt the next LTS versions, Java 17 and Java 21.

Recent Changes​

We recently added support for Java Runtime, v11.7.4, released on July 1, 2024, allowing generated applications to run on either Java 17 or Java 21, depending on customer needs. However, this support is limited to runtime and does not extend to compile-time. This means that the generated applications must still be compiled with Java 11, and cannot be compiled with any higher version yet.

WaveMaker released version 11.8.0 on July 29, 2024. This update includes a significant upgrade to Angular 17. This upgrade is expected to enhance your application's performance and development experience.