In the 2013 development world, anticipation was rising for the imminent W3C standardization of HTML5. Touted as the future of high-performing browser applications, HTML5 and the accompanying CSS3 would open the doors to web apps as powerful as those made for desktops.
Among developers, the search was on for better JavaScript and HTML5 tools to help create applications end users could utilize across different devices and platforms. Perhaps that’s why we at Syncfusion were seeing a significant uptick in client demand for e-books on JavaScript and jQuery to be added to our free Succinctly series. You spoke, we heard you.
In July 2013, we released the free beta version of our Essential Studio for JavaScript Suite. This first release consisted of 30 highly interactive controls designed for line-of-business application development. Syncfusion, unlike many other companies at the time, aimed its suite at enterprise-level developers, offering the most feature-rich grids, charts, and gauges on the market. We also provided the professional support for our controls that is still unavailable with open-source products.
The beta release of Essential JavaScript was an unfettered success. Its official release came with Syncfusion’s 2013 Volume 4 release, which included feedback-based bug fixes, new controls, and wrappers to make working with JavaScript controls easier in ASP.NET Web Forms and ASP.NET MVC.
Soon after, Syncfusion offered its hobbyist license, allowing individual developers access to Essential JavaScript and WinRT’s controls, updates, and support for a year at the cost of a single dollar. This, of course, was replaced by our community license in 2015, allowing access to the whole of Essential Studio for free.
Since JavaScript and HTML5 appeal to a wider range of developers, amateur to professional, and the new rich-motion graphics eliminated the need for expensive plug-ins, application development became easier and cheaper for companies seeking to connect interactively with their clients across platforms and devices. Since the 2014 release, JavaScript engines have become faster and browsers have come to support the languages. The promise of HTML5 as a top enterprise development environment was fulfilled, while our .NET-devoted company took the leap into strange waters to create what our customers needed and just kept swimming.
Now, Syncfusion’s Essential Studio for JavaScript has over 80 components that work seamlessly with different inputs and easily integrate with Visual Studio and popular third-party frameworks like jQuery and AngularJS. Just as in the beginning: you ask for them, we provide them. Come check out our latest release, 2016 Volume 2, featuring new heat map, pivot tree map, and sparkline controls.
Let us know in the comments section how Essential Studio for JavaScript has helped your coding experience, and what you’d like to see in our next releases.