GeneXus 18 Compatibility Section

This document states an overview of the compatibility issues or considerations you may need to take into account when adopting GeneXus 18 and, afterward, links to more details.

These considerations should be taken into account before Steps to build with GeneXus 18 a KB of GeneXus 17 or prior.

Changes in Software Requirements

Requirement changes in GeneXus (IDE & Code generation)

• By default, an internet connection is required for building your applications. This happens when the build systems require new or updated packages from Maven or Nuget repositories.
• Compilation of Java programs may require more memory. This is because Gradle is used to compile, and Gradle by default tries to parallelize compilation for performance optimization.
  Furthermore, JDK 11 or higher is recommended to improve compilation performance.
• Native mobile apps compilation supports macOS Ventura
• .NET 6 is required when using the GeneXus .NET Generator

Requirement changes in the generated application

• Changes in browser support:
  • Internet Explorer as a browser to be used in generated web applications has been discontinued. Special code to support Internet Explorer has been removed and associated potential security risks lowered.
  • Web applications that use Design System Object require Browsers with CSS Cascade Layers support. Also, native mobile apps that load those web applications using Component domain (Webview), require devices with the corresponding browser version or an up-to-date base software.
    The following is a detailed list of browsers that support this feature https://caniuse.com/css-cascade-layers. Note that on Apple devices, iOS 15.4 or higher is required and Android devices require an updated Android System Webview as stated on https://caniuse.com/css-cascade-layers.
    Note: As of November 2022, 89% of the browsers support CSS Cascade Layers (source: https://caniuse.com/css-cascade-layers).
• Changes in the backend
  • .NET 6 is required on applications generated by the GeneXus .NET Generator

More information: GeneXus 18 hardware and software requirements

Third-Party Software Requirements: User Controls, Patterns, and Extensions

• If you are using User Controls, Extensions, or Patterns provided by others, please contact their manufacturers, because they may need to provide a new version of them.

Backward compatibility of KBs

Although you can open with previous versions of GeneXus the KBs created with GeneXus 18, you may not be able to open every component, since those versions do not have the required features to recognize them. Furthermore, you may not be able to build those KBs with previous versions. For example, the information of KB Platforms saved by GeneXus 18 in KBs created with GeneXus 18 cannot be read with previous versions.

Deprecated Features

• HTML Editor. You should use this Editor only on existing objects. New objects should be developed using the Web Abstract Editor
• The value 'Previous Version Compatible' of Web User Experience property has been deprecated. You should convert to Smooth Web UX
• Developer Menu has been deprecated; related features for faster prototyping will happen in Launchpad Tool Window.

Removed Features

• The Build > Deploy to GeneXus Cloud Services option has been removed and the associated services have been discontinued
• The standalone Theme Editor has been discontinued. For DesignOps use the Design Import option

Renamed Features

• 'Work with for Smart Devices' Pattern has been renamed to 'Work With'.

Other Changes

Changes in new KBs

New KBs are created with Unanimo. The most remarkable changes when you work on KBs created with GeneXus 18, besides the GeneXusUnanimo Module, are:

• the new KB uses a Design System Object as its default style instead of a Theme object,
• some objects distributed by GeneXus are now part of a 'General' module and its submodules,
• the default value for Generate OpenAPI interface property changed to 'Yes',

Changes in GAM and GXflow UI:

• The out-of-the-box GXflow and GAM back offices and the corresponding frontend objects are based on Unanimo design system.

Changes in Work with for Web Pattern

• New instance names include the string 'Web' to distinguish them from instances of the Work With Pattern.

Changes in Java Environments

GeneXus now, more than ever, assumes that a Tomcat is used for prototyping. If this is not your case or you were using extra mechanisms to copy files to your Servlets Server, then read SAC 31319 or SAC 28182. The improvements are a consequence of the Support for Jakarta EE and Java EE.

API Changes

• GXflow API discontinues the use of WorkflowRestriction and WorkflowRestrictionDefinition data types. There is information regarding alternatives in SAC 51781
• The endpoint of web sockets has changed. More information in SAC 71701

Compatibility - Detailed Information

Check this list for a detailed list of issues that may affect compatibility. Note that you can select the version you are and the one you go to, to get the complete list and analyze it.

• GeneXus: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;4;V18;0;V17;11;C
• GXserver: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;6;V18;0;V17;11;C
• GXflow: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;3;V18;0;V17;11;C
• GeneXus for SAP: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;8;V18;0;V17;11;