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Experimental: Designer Parallel Operation

Experimental

Parallel operation is an experimental approach. It is provided for evaluation and may change without notice. Do not rely on it for production-critical workflows, and expect breaking changes in tooling, project structure, and migration steps.

Only use it in development environments where you can afford to lose data.

Do not use parallel operation for production hotfixes or time-critical deliveries.

This document outlines the strategy for the parallel operation of the current ADITO Designer and the new ADITO ExtensionPack.

Vision for the Designer​

Our goal is to provide a modern development environment that balances accessibility for beginners with high flexibility for power users.

  • Unified IDE: A single environment that supports all ADITO project versions.
  • Intuitive UI: Context-sensitive documentation and simplified workflows to lower the entry barrier for YAML.
  • Efficiency: Reusable YAML components and deep-level customization for experienced developers.
  • Future-Proofing: A platform that evolves with developer needs without restricting complex workflows.

The ADITO ExtensionPack​

The ExtensionPack is designed to eventually replace the current Designer. It provides a centralized suite of tools for Visual Studio Code, including:

  • YAML editors and schema validators.
  • Integrated Liquibase support.
  • Industry-standard tooling (e.g., Git and ESLint).

Why VS Code?​

Transitioning from NetBeans to VS Code offers two primary advantages:

  1. Version Decoupling: The Designer version is no longer tied to the server (core) version. Developers can access the latest features regardless of the core version being used.
  2. Standardization: By leveraging the vast VS Code ecosystem, we can focus on building ADITO-specific features rather than maintaining basic IDE functionality.

Transition: AOD to YAML​

We are migrating from the proprietary AOD (XML) format to YAML to address the following:

  • Transparency: YAML maps directly to the file structure, simplifying Git merges and manual edits.
  • Tool Independence: Projects can be edited with any standard text editor.
  • Low-Code Accessibility: While currently optimized for power users, future updates will introduce high-level abstractions to maintain a "Low-Code" experience for all users.

Parallel Operation Strategy​

Parallel operation allows developers to use the current Designer and the ADITO ExtensionPack simultaneously.

  • Seamless Switching: Toggle between tools based on specific project requirements.
  • Gradual Adoption: Implement new features (such as VS Code Liquibase integration) immediately without migrating the entire project workflow.
  • Stability: Ensure business continuity while phasing in new technologies.
note

The Parallel Operation feature is currently under active development and is subject to change.