What's new in Kentico CMS 5.5 and What’s Next?

Hi Sarah,

we are preparing several features and improvements that (I HOPE) will help developers. You will read about then as soon as they will be finished. They will include e.g.
- New API examples
- Preparing for LINQ
- Preparing Business Layer
- Unification of portal engine and ASPX templates development
- There will be improvement in E-commerce customization model
- Significant changes in macros
- etc.

I can't wait for the newest update for 2001! I'm developing an application for wheelchair vehicles and Kentico will make it so much easier.

I agree with what Michiel said about improving the API so that developers can develop extensions and integrate Kentico more easily. When can we expect the updates and fixes to the webparts? I'm really looking forward to the widget update, too.

Thanks again!

Sarah Harmer, Director of Sale, http://www.braunability.com

@Michal

I just read your response today. I'm really glad to see this discussion evolving. For some months I was afraid that it wasn't even on your roadmap, due to the lack of communications on this issu.

I think if you look at the Marker Business library [1], that is a really good way to 'hide' the API behind a better one. However, it does not escape from the API enough, it just maps it to strongly typed methods (so instead of a topN argument, we can now work with a criteria object). It's a great pattern for sure, but still close to the current one.

For sure untyped datasets are not the future, they are firmly the past of the .NET framework. They are still used, but you see them surface much less in the the end-developer API's. IQueryable is the much preferred model for 2010 and beyond.

Good luck, and keep us informed (more high-level/advanced blog posts please).

Thanks!

[1] http://www.markerstudio.com/technical/2010/02/introducing-the-marker-kentico-business-library-mkb/

Hi Derek Woo,

Kentico CMS 5.5 is still based on .NET framework 2.0 and comes with three different Visual Studio solutions - for .NET 2.0, .NET 3.5 and .NET 4.0.

During the installation you can deside which version to use.

Hi Michiel (the second :) )

we really understand your suggestions about the APIs and other developer focused improvements. You know, our system is dataset-based system. So there are two possible ways how to enhanced our unit-tests support, LINQ support etc. 1) We can start from scratch and build completely new "inside engine" that will be ready for the LINQ etc. or 2) try to develop new business layer covering our datasets that can enhanced our todays support.
From our perspective way 1) is not realistic, too time and money consuming, etc..... So we have started building of the additional layer that will help (I hope) in major scenarios....

To be honest, MOSS is not our primary target market. But our customers and partners are asking us for the Kentico Intranet solution, so we deside to prepare Intranet Portal Package. This package is composed from two separate parts. 1) Sample Site design that will be available for the download from the Marketplace and 2) new features that are missing in the system like WebDav support etc.

I just hope Kentico will see the value in an improved API so that developers can develop extensions and integrate Kentico more easily. I think the feedback for such a thing is getting stronger (see top 10 issues on UserVoice), not just as developers try to integrate Kentico with MVC based application, but also as developers are increasingly looking at unit testing and finding that it's more or less impossible with Kentico.

My advice would be to not focus exclusively on the Sharepoint market (as that seems to be where the 5.x effort is going based on this post) but to realise the potential of third-party contributions and work on enabling that. If you want a healthy marketplace, you really need to work on the API, extensibility, testability and true modularity.

In the future you guys should not need to work on an 'Intranet Portal Package' but just on the platform. Such packages can be delivered through the market place by third-parties and partners. But the only way that's going to work is if the platform evolves in the right direction.

And please try to release the CKEditor 3.1 update soon and not in 1 year!

With this upgrade to 5.5, are you required to use VS 2010 and the .NET framework, or can we still use older versions of the IDE?

Can we run against older frameworks like 2.0 and 3.5?

Regardless of whether the Kentico uses ASP.NET WebForms or MVC under the hood, what needs to happen is simply an API that can allow us to render Kentico web parts visually as part of an MVC application, not full integration.

What we are doing is taking existing web applications and "integrating" them visually with our Kentico website by rendering the MasterPage, CSS, Menu.

Don't get me wrong, it is difficult and a pain, but doable. Please, please, make this easier to do in the future!

I agree Kentico doesn't need to move to the MVC framework. But I feel that Michal's arguments assumed a lot of Microsoft's intentions.

Technically, you can run MVC side-by-side with WebForms in one application, but that doesn't really make sense for Kentico to directly support. I don't think Kentico should spend effort on such a radical shift in framework.

(If they need any work with their framework choice, it should be on better APIs with depency injection instead of using almost exclusively global factory providers with built-in state, which makes it nearly impossible to unit test.)

Also, Microsoft is fully supporting MVC, so "doesn't believe it" isn't a valid argument.

Yes, MVC is different than WebForms. They both have pros and cons. Neither is definitively "cooler" or "better" than the other.

MVC 2 can be used at the enterprise level; there is nothing about it that prohibits its use for enterprise applications. It has Areas for seperation by section; the framework itself encourages seperation of concerns between views, controllers, and models; works with any major data access provider; even lower CPU overhead per page than WebForms with its massive ViewState and page cycle requirements; etc.

It just isn't as proven or understood at that level yet; that's probably due to the fact it's newer so the average developer doesn't understand it well enough. That's not the fault of the framework, but the individual developer's lack of knowledge and/or experience with MVC pattern.

Hi Michiel,

as you really know, Windows Azure requires and supports Web Application only.

We are also working hard on unifying of the ASPX and PortalEngine, to be able to use all PortalEngine features in ASPX.

There are also plans for the business layer etc.

At this time we are not able to confirm exact version of Kentico CMS that will contain these features.

And again the question about the MVC:) In facts ASP.NET MVC was established by MS to migrate Ruby (and other) developers to ASP.NET. There are a big differences between MVC and WebForms (like differences between WPF & WinForms). I don't think, there is any easy weay how to implement MVC into Kentico CMS without the completely rewriting of the system. You may ask "Why MS doesn't implement MVC into Sharepoint 2010, if it is so cool technology, everybody loves it, and MS established it?" The answer could be "Because MS doesn't believe it :)" ... but it is preaty easy: "MOSS uses Web Parts very hard, so it was build on the standard Web Pages not MVC". And the ASP.NET MVC is not ready for the enterprise level web systems yet.

Nice job guys! I liked the naming 5.5 sp1 more though ;)

Hi JAdams,

yes, 5.5 contains all hotfixes that were available prior the release. Also 5.5R2 will contain hotfixes that will be available prior the release in the autumn.

Does 5.5 contain all the hot fixes for 5.0?

Looks like a good release, congratulations!

It's a bit disappointing to read that it will be at least another year (!) before APSX developers will see some of the much needed improvements (and only widgtes, not webparts?) and even more disappointing to see no sign of any API overhaul (strongly typed node API and templates, distribution of the system as a Web Application project, MVP/MVC support, better unit testing, LINQ support, etc).

Please tell me you have some more improvements for ASPX developers in your planning. The number two request on UserVoice is for multiple view engines, but there is not one mention of that in your post or your roadmap. Keeping it a secret does not give confidence....

Oh, and please move the CKEditor support forward to Kentico 5.5 R2. Waiting 11 months when the only blocking issue was resolved a few weeks ago is not what I had expected. It's the number 4 issue on the general suggestions list on UserVoice.

Thanks!