Posted by the IDX staff

Six months in the past, we launched Challenge IDX, an experimental, cloud-based workspace for full-stack, multiplatform software program improvement. We constructed Challenge IDX to simplify and streamline the developer workflow, aiming to cut back the ocean of complexities historically related to app improvement. It definitely looks like we have piqued your curiosity, and we love seeing what IDX has helped you construct.

For instance, we just lately realized about Tanaki, an AI-enhanced content material creation app constructed utilizing Challenge IDX:

Pasquale D’Silva one of many builders that constructed Tanaki, stated:

“Utilizing the IDX shared workspace to construct Tanaki has been so enjoyable. It permits our distant staff of imagineers to construct collectively in a single place. It’s a magic collaboration portal!”

Builders at Google have additionally been utilizing IDX internally to assist pace up improvement throughout varied tasks. One instance is the the Firebase Weblog, the place the total authoring, improvement, and deployment of the Astro-powered mission is dealt with utilizing IDX:

One other fascinating mission leveraging IDX’s extensibility mannequin is Malloy, a brand new open-source knowledge language accessible as a VS Code extension that operates towards databases like BigQuery:

Lloyd Tabb, a Distinguished Software program Engineer at Google, advised us:

“I take advantage of IDX with the Malloy mission. I typically have a number of completely different knowledge tasks going concurrently and IDX lets me shortly spin up an occasion to resolve an issue and it’s trivial to configure.”

If you wish to share what IDX has helped you construct, use the #ProjectIDX tag on X.

What’s new in IDX?

Along with seeing the way you’re utilizing IDX, a key a part of constructing Challenge IDX is your suggestions, so we’ve continued to roll out options so that you can check. We’re excited to share the newest updates we have carried out to expedite and streamline multiplatform app improvement, so you’ll be able to ship with pace, ease and high quality.

Preview your app immediately in IDX with our iOS simulator and Android emulator

We’re bringing the iOS Simulator and Android Emulator to the browser. Whether or not you’re constructing a Flutter or net app, Challenge IDX now means that you can preview your purposes with out having to go away your workspace. If you use a Flutter or net template, Challenge IDX intelligently masses the best preview setting to your software — Safari cell and Chrome for net templates, or Android, iOS, and Chrome for Flutter templates.

IDX’s net and Android emulators can help you develop, check, and debug immediately out of your workspace, consolidating your multi-step, multiplatform course of into one place. With iOS simulation you’ll be able to spot-check your app’s structure and conduct when you work. This characteristic remains to be experimental, so remember to try it out and ship us suggestions.

Get began quick with a wealthy library of mission templates

4 of our prime ten characteristic requests have been to help extra templates, so we’re happy to share that we’ve added new templates for Astro, Go, Python/Flask, Qwik, Lit, Preact, Stable.js, and Node.js. Use these templates to leap proper into your mission so you’ll be able to spend much less time establishing and extra time creating.

Take a look at our new and improved template gallery

In fact you’ll be able to nonetheless import your personal repo from GitHub, immediately out of your native information, or you’ll be able to select your personal setup utilizing a customized Nix setting.

Rapidly construct and customise your IDX workspace with enhancements to Nix

IDX makes use of Nix to outline the setting configuration for every workspace to offer you flexibility and extensibility in IDX – even our templates and previews are configured utilizing Nix to make sure they’re working appropriately inside IDX. We’re constantly engaged on Nix enhancements to assist increase your productiveness, so now you’ll be able to:

• Customise IDX starter templates simply by leveraging Nix extensibility.
• Cut back the probability of errors and write code extra effectively with Nix file modifying, together with help for syntax highlighting, error detection, and advised code completions.
• Get better from damaged configurations shortly and keep away from pointless rebuild makes an attempt with main enhancements to the environment customization workflow, together with seamless setting rebuilds and troubleshooting.

Simply construct, check, and deploy apps with further new IDX options and sources

• Auto-detect community ports wanted for purposes or companies and alter the firewall settings to allow ingress and egress with none further configuration in your finish.
• Immediately run command-line instruments, scripts, and utilities immediately inside workspace with out the necessity to set up them domestically in your machine.
• Simplify the method of working with Docker containers and pictures immediately from the event setting by enabling Docker in your dev.nix file.

AI launched in 15 new areas

We’ve launched our AI capabilities within the following 15 nations: India, Australia, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Extra nations might be enabled with AI entry quickly – point out your curiosity for AI growth on this characteristic monitoring submit and keep tuned for extra AI updates.

Enhancing collectively

We’re consistently engaged on including new capabilities that will help you do increased high quality work, extra effectively, with much less friction. We’ve addressed dozens of your characteristic requests and glued a large number of bugs you flagged for us, so thanks to your continued help and engagement – please preserve the suggestions coming by submitting bugs and characteristic requests.

For walkthroughs and extra data on all of the options talked about above, take a look at our documentation web page. Should you haven’t already, go to our web site to enroll to strive Challenge IDX and be part of us on our journey. Additionally, remember to take a look at our new Challenge IDX Weblog for the newest product bulletins and updates from the staff.

We are able to’t wait to see what you create with Challenge IDX!