With version 25.0, Instant Developer Cloud and Instant Developer Foundation got important updates that will improve your experience on the platform and introduce tools for tackling complex scenarios more simply.
In this article I'll walk you through the top changes in each platform, explaining why it's worth your time to get familiar with them and make the most of them.
Every new version of Instant Developer brings optimizations, new components, and strategic updates, and the 25.0 releases are no exception.
Let's begin with Instant Developer Cloud.
Cloud – A new look for the Console as well
With release 25.0, the Instant Developer user interface is getting a permanent new look: the new IDE design is now active by default. You no longer need to enable it manually.
But there's more: now the Console also has a new look! In version 25.0 in fact you'll find it aligned with the same clean, modern style, consistent with the visual identity in the IDE.
The result is a more efficient, ergonomic, and more agreeable environment for people who work in it every day.
Cloud – More powerful tree views
One of the most interesting updates in this release of Instant Developer Cloud is the new widget for tree views, conceived to simplify the display of hierarchical data.
The widget belongs to the Fluid UI library and what makes it truly powerful is the ability to manage expansion, dynamic loading, and even drag & drop automatically, with minimal effort from you.
You configure the initial tree and it does the rest. The interface is updated at the appropriate time, and it only loads what's needed. The widget is also highly configurable, so it's perfect both for standard cases and special circumstances.
You'll also find a practical example in the Console and all the information about using the new widget in the dedicated chapter in the documentation.
Cloud – OpenID Connect: user management gets enterprise-ready
If you develop applications for large companies or complex software with many modules and diversified user access, this update in the 25.0 Cloud release has a huge advantage for you.
We've made available a component for authenticating via OpenID Connect, a standard protocol that allows you to delegate identity management to a centralized identity provider.
In practice:
-your apps no longer need to authenticate the user directly
– a secure external service handles that (and it's already compatible with logins using Google, Apple ID, etc.)
-integration with the service is transparent and customizable
This approach to authentication is ideal for organizations that have multiple applications with various access methods, written in different ways, and who want unified, modern user management. A significant boost for people working in an enterprise context, but also for software houses that want to offer this added value to their clients who have application pools that fit this description.
Cloud – Node.js 22: performance and security empowered
Referring again to Instant Developer Cloud, release 25.0 updates the backend runtime to Node.js 22. It's an LTS (Long Term Support) version, meaning it's stable and designed to last and maintain compatibility over time.
Compared with the previous version used in Cloud (Node.js 18), performance is improved and security is bolstered. And we have updated the myriad connected modules which therefore are already compatible.
The upgrade however is completely transparent for you. You don't have to change anything, yet you'll reap all the benefits right away.
Now let's have a look at what Instant Developer Foundation 25.0 has to offer.
Foundation – Fluid and other fixes aimed at complete compatibility
The Fluid engine in Foundation continues to evolve. With version 25.0 it got dozens of fixes, many of which are the result of direct reports from customers.
The reason is simple: Fluid has to offer the same experience as RD3, but with more modern technologies. To be successful it therefore has to support all the cases that emerge through actual use and are communicated to us, primarily through our support service. The result? A graphic engine that's increasingly stable, solid, and adaptable.
Other fixes to Fluid concern the Vela theme, which is optimized following the initial months of run-in. In fact, we've worked to refine the behavior and ensure consistent rendering in all configurations in which it is used.
In addition to the fixes made in Fluid, in the release notes you'll find all the other changes we've made to optimize operation of the platform.
Foundation – The best is yet to come
During Instant Developer Evolution Day the Foundation roadmap was presented, and version 25.5 will be a key release in this regard. A few significant updates are on the way, and they're the result of our proposals adapted to the feedback that developers using Foundation have given us in the meantime.
If you use Foundation too, get ready for a version 25.5 with everything you need to maintain high value in your software in the present and to consolidate it for the future.
Now it's your turn!
Now that you're familiar with the leading updates in Instant Developer Cloud and Foundation 25.0, start taking advantage of them by switching to the new versions right away!
