GeneXus 18 Upgrade 6

This is an overview of GeneXus 18 Upgrade 6 (compared to GeneXus 18 Upgrade 5) and what should be taken into account when adopting it.

Upgrade 6 was released on November 3, 2023.

Download

https://www.genexus.com/en/developers/downloadcenter?data=6004

Overview

This upgrade features important advancements in several key aspects. It includes a new Super App Object to create Super Apps with GeneXus, which completes the features required for creating a Super App from scratch, or for converting any app into a super app. It is also a step forward in simplifying the creation of back offices with Angular since it features the tabular grid UI control, as well as automatic refresh mechanisms in Panels.

Additionally, it contains important technology updates, as it supports XCode 15 and MacOS Sonoma (14) to develop native mobile iOS Applications or Super Apps; it also features a GeneXus Projects Navigator for prototyping Android apps and mini apps (as iOS). It is the first stable version that makes it possible to develop Java Spring Boot solutions (Beta).

Below is a list of other interesting features in several areas:

Angular

• The new Tabular Grid is now ready to be used for production purposes. New properties have been added to control paging, to hide or freeze columns, etc.
• The Automatic refresh property has been added to Panels so that grids are refreshed automatically upon changes in filter values.

Backend

• APIs: Authorization permissions can now be set at the service level.
• Java
  • Spring Boot support added (Beta).
  • Generate Observability span property to automatically associate telemetry information to related GeneXus objects.
• .NET:
  • Support for iText 8 added.
  • Connection to SQL Server can use Microsoft Entra ID (ex Azure AD) authentication.

GAM & Security

• Simplified support for SSO and privacy matters in Super apps and Mini apps scenarios.
• API Key authentication support added. More Information...
• Out-of-the-box GAM backoffice now available in multiple languages, allowing you to choose between light and dark UI, among other UI improvements.

Native Mobile

• Knowledge Base Navigator (KBN) has been renamed to GeneXus Projects Navigator (GPN).
• A GPN for Android has been published in the Google Play Store. Now you can prototype online apps, or Mini apps, using the GPN in Android as in iOS, which accelerates prototyping and reduces some related software requirements. See Android Execution Type property.
• MacOS Sonoma (14) support added.
• XCode 15 support added.

Testing

• Web UI Tests support Chrome 116 or higher.

Super Apps

• The new Super App object allows modeling and building Super Apps with GeneXus. Now, in addition to converting an existing app that has not been built with GeneXus into a Super App, you will also be able to create, with GeneXus, a Super App from scratch, or convert an app built with GeneXus into a Super App.
• Support for Web Mini apps has been added. Therefore, Mini apps can be either native mobile (built with the Native Mobile generators), or Web (built with GeneXus Web generators or with other technologies).

Technology update, installation requirements update, and main compatibility aspects

• Java: Gradle version was upgraded to 8.3, making it possible to build KBs with JDK 20.

All Details (Features, More Compatibility Aspects, Issues)

Please check these links for additional features, compatibility aspects, issues, and details:

GeneXus: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;4;V18;6;V18;5;
GeneXus Server: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;6;V18;6;V18;5;
GXflow: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;3;V18;6;V18;5;
GXtest: https://www.genexus.com/developers/rn?data=0;7;V18;6;V18;5;