List of release notes from January 20, 2025
Over the last two weeks, we have been working on improvements to the platform. This blog post provides a simple list of what has been changed and updated and what bugs have been fixed. You can read more about the release notes here.
Pages
New features
Widgets
We're excited to announce the release of Widgets, a powerful new feature inspired by feedback from our community. Widgets are designed to simplify and speed up the page-building process, making it easier than ever to create pages.
Value:
- Simplified page building: Widgets allow users to build pages quickly without the need for in-depth knowledge of individual components or how to combine them. Each widget comes with a limited set of options, reducing the number of clicks and decisions required to create a page.
- Consistency is key: Want your apps to look sharp and on-brand every time? Widgets can be pre-styled to match your brand’s look and feel. This means you can maintain a consistent design across all your apps without breaking a sweat.
- Faster development and increased efficiency: Widgets are designed to help you build apps faster and more efficiently. By offering larger, pre-configured blocks with fewer options, you can quickly put together pages with greater confidence and consistency. No more starting from scratch—just drag, drop, and let widgets do the heavy lifting.
Read more in the release note.
Documentation:
- Install your first widget block
Want to learn more about widgets? Sign up for our Feature Focus Webinar about widgets on January 28, 2025, at 3:00 PM CET / 9:00 AM ET. The webinar will take up to 30 minutes and there will be an insightful Q&A session afterward.
Improvements & fixes
Updated whitelist properties option in the filter component
Value: The filter component in the default component set has been updated to address an inconsistency with the whitelist properties option. Previously, the ID property was automatically included in the list of properties at runtime, even if the developer had not explicitly added it. With this update, the ID property will only be included if it is explicitly whitelisted. If you do not add it, it will no longer appear by default. This change provides greater flexibility, allowing you to control whether the ID property is visible in the properties list.
Impact: This improvement is only available in the latest version of the filter component in the default Betty Block component set. Existing components already in use on pages will not automatically receive these improvements.
Resolved issue with checkbox property in the filter component
Value: The filter component in the default component set has been updated to resolve a bug when using a checkbox property in the filter component at runtime. Previously, using a checkbox property immediately after a page load and applying the filter caused a data API error. The filter only worked after manually updating the checkbox value (right-hand side) in the filter rule. With this update, the filter component now provides the correct value for checkboxes on page load, allowing you to apply composed filter rules directly without needing to adjust the checkbox value.
Impact: This improvement is only available in the latest version of the filter component in the default Betty Block component set. Existing components already in use on pages will not automatically receive these improvements.
Uninstall widgets and component blocks
Value: Able to remove widgets that you don’t want or need anymore in your application.
Impact: Instead of all your widgets building up over time you can now uninstall them from your applications as you see fit.
Up next
Toggle form changes syncing per action step
Value: This feature allows developers to enable or disable form change synchronization for individual action steps that include a “value mapping” step option type, like the default Betty Blocks create and update steps.
Impact: This option enables the new time-saving synchronization feature to be applied to older forms. It allows you to synchronize form changes across multiple action steps simultaneously and provides the flexibility to disable the synchronization feature when it is not needed.
Timeframe: Q1 2025
New “add form input” option on form components
Value: We’ll introduce a new feature that simplifies the process of adding form input components directly to forms. Instead of using the drag-and-drop method from the sidebar, users can now click the "add form input" option within a form component. This launches a guided wizard to streamline the process of adding new inputs. This update will make it easier to enrich forms with new input components, even in scenarios with restricted page wrapper access.
Impact: The impact of this feature is twofold:
- Simplified form editing: Form editing will be easier for less advanced users who are less experienced with drag-and-drop functionality. This enhancement reduces the effort required to customize forms.
- Ability to change forms from a locked page wrapper: This feature can be applied to page wrappers, allowing developers to modify forms embedded within locked page wrappers. For example, forms used in the back office page template will be updated without needing to unlock the page wrapper, providing greater flexibility and convenience.
Timeframe: Q1 2025
Enhanced price and decimal input components for greater ease of use
Value: We are simplifying the configuration of our default price and decimal input components to suit your needs better. A new option will allow you to define the decimal separator, automatically setting the thousands (group) separator. This enhancement introduces default behaviors at runtime, streamlining the input process. As a result, the "Validation pattern" option will become redundant and be removed from these components.
Impact: This update significantly improves usability, making it faster and more intuitive to configure price or decimal inputs for various formats. These changes eliminate existing complexities without introducing new limitations, providing a more seamless experience. This update will only be available in the latest version of the price and decimal components in the default Betty Block component set. Existing components already in use on pages will not automatically receive this update.
Timeframe: Q1 2025
Models
New features
Replacing the current cloud storage
Value: We are currently replacing our current cloud storage provider with Wasabi Technologies as our subprocessor for cloud storage. This change is part of our continuous efforts to optimize our services and ensure we leverage the most efficient and secure solutions available.
Impact: No action is required nor expected from our users. This transition will be seamless, and we are doing everything to minimize the impact on our services and are expecting no downtime during the migration.
Timeframe: Customers will be notified when the migration of their applications is scheduled.
Actions
Up next
Enhanced debug logging experience
Value: (Debug)logging of an action is currently a very time-consuming effort. To check where an action fails to execute or if information about the execution is needed, the builder currently needs multiple log steps after every action step to check the action flow. By enabling logging the whole action at once and optimizing the logs page to display the information of the action execution, we enable the builders to debug their action within minutes instead of hours.
For the last two weeks, we have been rolling out a series of updates to enhance the debug logging experience. This all is available behind a feature flag that can be requested via Support.
What you will unlock with this feature flag:
- Turn logging on/off
- Feature: Toggle to enable or disable logging for each action, available in the action settings.
- Value: Provides control over logging, allowing builders to enable it only when needed to reduce clutter and focus on critical information.
- Log page optimisation
- Feature: Expand/collapse logs by action step for easier navigation and links to specific actions/steps directly from the log page for quick access.
- Value: Improves readability and accessibility, making it easier to pinpoint and resolve issues.
- Variables on log page
- Feature: After this milestone, the variables and its values will be printed on the logs page for every action step.
- Value: Improves the debug experience, making it easier to pinpoint and resolve issues.
- Advanced filtering options
- Feature: Search and filter logs by timestamp and type and sort columns, with the default sort set to date and time (latest log first).
- Value: Allow builders to quickly locate relevant logs, reducing time spent searching for specific events.
Behind the scenes, we are currently making improvements in displaying the loop step on the logs page.
Timeframe: The public release of the improved debug logging experience is planned for the end of February.
My Betty Blocks
Improvements & fixes
Application Monitoring Dashboard
Value: The application monitoring dashboard displays data again to monitor data API, actions, and expressions of that application.
Impact: The application monitoring dashboard is available via the dropdown menu on the application details page.
Hide display of storage usage
Value: Hide the display of storage so that it does not confuse company managers.
Impact: On the company overview dashboard and application table we have hidden the application storage while we are focusing on resolving the issue of displaying incorrect data.
Queues no longer get stuck due to background job crash
Value: Queues no longer get stuck due to background job crashes.
Impact: No action is required from customers.
Moving applications between organizations
Value: Sandboxes no longer crash when moving applications between organizations due to a large number of users.
Impact: Moving applications between organizations via the application settings or company applications overview.
Application Exporter
Value: The application exporter no longer crashes when trying to export an application that contains public files that no longer exist.
Impact: Using the application export/import in the context of the on-premise.
Up next
Delayed payment message
Value: Displayed a delayed payment message within the building environment so that the right person can be informed to prevent unexpected discontinued usage of the platform.
Impact: The payment messages will be available within the whole building environment.
Timeframe: Upcoming 2 weeks.
Company storage usage
Value: Display the total storage usage of an account and application basis without temporary storage being included so that a realistic view of actual storage usage is displayed.
Impact: The storage will be displayed on the company dashboard and applications table.
Timeframe: Upcoming 4 weeks.
Education
New
Low-code environment setup guide
To support our (new) low-coders we are taking a moment to review, update and expand our low-code documentation. We are currently adding more in-depth items to assist low-code developers in experiencing more capabilities of our low-code toolkit.
- Sharing an action function (via the CLI)
- Building a custom calculator step
- Building a custom pie chart component
Supporting the widget release
In support of the widget release we have created two articles, you can find the links here.
Improvements & fixes
Refined various articles to match new imagery and copywriting
The 'Access protected information' and 'Rich text feature' articles have been updated to match their current versions in the platform.
Up next
The SDLC-flow application template
Do you want to learn how to follow the ideal flow for application development? The education team is working on an application template that uses the Betty Blocks SDLC guidelines to assist you in your development process.
Install the template and go through the initiatives you and your companies have.
Timeframe: Expected January
The Betty Blocks learning management system (LMS)
Value: as a Betty Blocks platform trainee, I can test my skills via a Betty Blocks-supported test environment and get graded on level-based tests.
- Milestone 1: LMS Implementation, Branding, and SSO Availability
- Feature: Launch the Academy (based on HubLMS) integrated with Betty Blocks' branding and ensure secure user access through SSO.
- Value: Provides a branded, secure, and accessible platform for users to begin engaging with the LMS while setting the stage for future expansion
Timeframe: We aim to open the environment in January, for the first rounds of customer testing and essential path usage.
- Milestone 2: Certification and Badging System
- Feature: Enhance user motivation and recognize achievements with certifications, tests, and badges.
- Value: Encourages user engagement through visible rewards, enhances credibility for users, and adds value to Betty Blocks’ platform.
- Milestone 3: Customer and Management Portals
- Feature: Enable tailored learning experiences for different user roles and provide administrators with insights.
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Value: Supports scalability by offering role-based learning, empowers administrators with actionable insights and enhances user experience.
If you would like to leave feedback regarding our content or have any questions about the new LMS, please reach out to odin@bettybocks.com
Platform roadmap
Want to know more about the upcoming features and functionalities of the Betty Blocks platform? Visit the platform roadmap of our community, where you can find most of the topics that we are currently working on and are planning to work on. Let us know your thoughts by upvoting the topics you believe are the most valuable!