LightSwitch in Maintenance Mode: What does that mean for you?
Last week, Microsoft released big news in the world of LightSwitch: Microsoft has recommended that users not begin new application development with LightSwitch, as Visual Studio 2015 is the last release including the platform. Visual Studio 2015 will be active until October 13, 2020. As one commenter put it: "LightSwitch is dead, long live LightSwitch!"
What does the LightSwitch news mean for you?
As Microsoft said, you probably don't want to begin creating new applications in LightSwitch, since it'll only compound your migration work later. We know you have many reasons for supporting your current applications, from studying the ROI of migration all the way to building an entirely new business app on a new platform or technology. With that in mind, ComponentOne Studio will continue offering its LightSwitch Edition in maintenance mode for the foreseeable future. While we won't be adding new features or controls, you can expect the same level of support that we currently offer our current Silverlight and ActiveX subscribers: critical bug fixes, forum support, and phone support if you have Platinum.
Migrating LightSwitch Apps to HTML5 and JavaScript
Michael Washington of LightSwitchHelpWebsite.com recommends migrating your LightSwitch apps to HTML5 and AngularJS, which is good news for you: GrapeCity also offers Wijmo, a best-of-breed collection of JavaScript controls that has first-class Angular and Angular 2 support. It's written in TypeScript, includes IntelliSense, and controls like FlexGrid and FlexChart are literally the same controls that you've already been using in LightSwitch HTML and LightSwitch for Cloud Business Apps. You can upgrade to a full suite of Wijmo and C1Studio controls (including native mobile controls) at http://www.componentone.com/Ultimate. We've already published several white papers on migration to Wijmo:
- White Paper: Migrating from Silverlight to Wijmo 5
- Migrating from XAML to HTML5 with Wijmo
- Make a Smooth Transition to HTML5 using MVVM
Be on the lookout for more information on migrating from LightSwitch to HTML5 using Wijmo controls.
Migrating LightSwitch to PowerApps
If you're not a traditional coder and you're not able to build a team who can learn JavaScript and Angular, Microsoft has offered its own set of no-code app-building tools: PowerApps. PowerApps is a drag-and-drop web interface that allows you to build web and native mobile apps without one line of code. Our team's been looking into it, and we'll let you know soon what we think of this new tool. Whether you're a developer or not, ComponentOne Studio will continue supporting LightSwitch (and you).
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